Fast Dulling

[Doc226]

I honed a DD for a friend and I think the edge came out great, it passed my HHT easily and I know from that stone and that HHT the shave should be great-for me. I did not shave with it before returning to my friend.

He tried his own HHT and again it passed his test, he started the shave and first half of the face was good, then he experienced some tugging and could not finish the shave. After the shave the razor no longer passed the HHT.

He is not new to shaving but not that old into either.

My guess would be his technique is dulling the edge quickly, second could the steel on the DD be bad and not be able to hold the edge. He has not used this DD before.

I don't believe he experiences this premature dulling with all his razors.

So what happened?

 

[rickboone1]

Was the edge brittle and microchipping?

Did he mess it up stropping it?

 

[jkh]

Colonel Mustard dulled it in the library with the candlestick.

 

[Doc226]

Was the edge brittle and microchipping?

Did he mess it up stropping it?

I don't think so since the shave started out OK

I did not see any signs of trouble during the honing. I used a JNAT progression.

Colonel Mustard dulled it in the library with the candlestick.

I don't think so, my guess is Prof Moriarty, with the Sweeney Todd (of course) in the lounge

 

[rickboone1]

Did you finish on a paste? Perhaps the superficial paste or spray was feeling good at first and it wore off? Yeah..that doesn't make any sense unless you finished on a paste or strop and it didn't touch another strop until it hit his face. Like right off diamond to his face....

This is interesting in that my shave started off superbly smooth. Didn't decline to THIS degree, but ever so slightly... Hmm....

What was your full progression on this?

 

[Doc226]

Did you finish on a paste? Perhaps the superficial paste or spray was feeling good at first and it wore off? Yeah..that doesn't make any sense unless you finished on a paste or strop and it didn't touch another strop until it hit his face. Like right off diamond to his face....

This is interesting in that my shave started off superbly smooth. Didn't decline to THIS degree, but ever so slightly... Hmm....

What was your full progression on this?

No pastes, this was a full JNAT progression 5 nagura, finished on plain water.

 

[smalltank]

sounds like his technique and bad lather

 

[Doc226]

sounds like his technique and bad lather

That was my thought but he is not a complete newby

 

[superbleu]

Has he used a full hollow before? Maybe his angle of attack was too shallow and dulled it after scraping away the whiskers rather than cutting them clean?
Too many variables and unknowns to diagnose remotely.

 

[Doc226]

Has he used a full hollow before? Maybe his angle of attack was too shallow and dulled it after scraping away the whiskers rather than cutting them clean?
Too many variables and unknowns to diagnose remotely.

This I don't know.

 

[Wid]

To many variables to really give an answer. I've had a few ducks and they all took great edges. I doubt it's the steel or the honing, my bet is that the person had a mishap as in bad technique or such.

Have him send it back and shave with it a few times to test it out yourself.

 

[Kentos]

No pastes, this was a full JNAT progression 5 nagura, finished on plain water.

I have had good results stropping on a .25 or finer spray between my tomonagura and water. Supposedly a false edge or sumthin can occur, according to Iwasaki, and stropping gets rid of it.
YMMV

If it's the only one that did it, it must be the blade, no? Losing an edge half way through a shave sounds like soft metal to me.

 

[ladykate]

If it's the only one that did it, it must be the blade, no? Losing an edge half way through a shave sounds like soft metal to me.

With the information available, that would be my guess. I've never had it happen with a vintage blade or quality steel before. But it sure sounds like a greeble got in the mix somewhere. I've had it happen lots (and lots) with cheap steel. Maybe the blade was harmed at some point.

Take it back, hone it and test shave it yourself?

 

[danjared]

Was the razor buffed?

If the person has some experience using a straight razor, I would not consider him as the first possible cause. I would guess that the most likely causes are a wire edge or overheated blade. Both can cause the behaviour you've described. Another indicator would be doing the thumbnail test after you finish honing. Assuming your nail is clean, a good razor would still be sharp afterwards. One with a wire edge or ruined heat-treatment would not.

 

[tomjr]

inspect the bevel the edge could be bent to one side a little. just a guess.

 

[Proximus26]

Wow, well since it is about me and my DD
Q:Was the razor buffed? A:No-I have two DD Special #1 NOS when purchased razor
Statement: Another indicator would be doing the thumbnail test after you finish honing. Assuming your nail is clean, a good razor would still be sharp afterwards I totally agree that this test will DESTROY EDGE!
Q:Maybe the blade was harmed at some point. A:Well, I`m not sure, but I don’t think so.
Statement: I have had good results stropping on a .25 or finer spray between my tomonagura and water. Supposedly a false edge or sumthin can occur, according to Iwasaki, and stropping gets rid of it. Wow, wow... please translate to me, some expert need to explain me what was just said
Statement: doubt it's the steel or the honing, my bet is that the person had a mishap as in bad technique or such Well, I can always improve my technique, but first need to know what to improve. I will take suggestion and I`m open for improvements.
Statement: has he used a full hollow before? Maybe his angle of attack was too shallow and dulled it after scraping away the whiskers rather than cutting them clean?
Too many variables and unknowns to diagnose remotely. Yes, I have used kind of razors, however, what do you mean to shallow and scraping away the whiskers rather than cutting them clean? I shaved with this razor after 24h from my last shave. Why would I dull razor by scraping? How?
Statement: sounds like his technique and bad lather Well, I`m open to analyze my technique: I did hot shower, HOT towel until almost cool down. Hairs got soft. Leather: uberlather: Aubrey (cream), Paraso (soak water and soap) and 3 drops of glycerin. Passes: WTG,XTG, ATG, all with variables degrees. XTG with low degree to skin. Open for discussion however just yesterday shaved with Valentino razor and got great shave.
Statement: don't think so, my guess is Prof Moriarty, with the Sweeney Todd (of course) in the lounge well Alfredo, I have no idea why you just have said LOL


So my plan is to hone this razor and send beck to Alfredo... Any other ideas?

 

[Gamma]

My bet is wire/false edge.

 

[danjared]

Q:Was the razor buffed? A:No-I have two DD Special #1 NOS when purchased razor
Statement: Another indicator would be doing the thumbnail test after you finish honing. Assuming your nail is clean, a good razor would still be sharp afterwards I totally agree that this test will DESTROY EDGE!

Explain what you mean by "NOS". I have seen several razors that appear NOS, but, upon close inspection, the razor has either been lightly used or buffed. A truly NOS razor is quite uncommon and is not immune to corrosion either.

As far as the second part of the response to my specific post, my words and your response have been blurred together in your post, so I'd like to clarify that, when properly executed and when the edge is durable enough for shaving (remember that nails and hair are both made of keratin), the thumbnail test will not render the edge dull. While some argue that this isn't true, such claims run counter to the experience of too many. The law of parsimony suggests that it's the naysayers who are doing something wrong rather than the fact being inconsistently true.

 

[danjared]

Wait, I just put things together and realized that the other Dubl Duck is in my possession. Sorry, I came in contact with you through the coticule.be free honing service, so I never saw your forum username. It wasn't until I saw someone use your name in another thread that it clicked.

It's hard for me to tell much about this one since the blade looks like it's been polished by hand (using steel wool and a polish?) and the pins have been tightened if not replaced. This one had been honed at least once as received by me, perhaps at the factory but perhaps elsewhere as well. This one at least holds an edge just fine (shaved with it tonight), although there was some corrosion at the edge when I received the razor. The edge held up pretty well through the shave, although there is a bit of microchipping in some spots that leads me to believe that I didn't completely reach pristine steel. If the other razor had more corrosion at the edge, it's possible that, during the shave, the edge just crumbled.

Edit: But, uh... what's with the scented talcum powder that was between the scales? My first thought when I saw the white powder there was that someone had used the razor for lines of cocaine. Also, if the talcum powder isn't from you, that's a fairly good indication that the razor wasn't NOS. There are also some file marks at the butt end of the scales

Edit the second: And by "you" and "OP", I mean Mariusz, not Alfredo. Sorry, it's late...

 

[paco664]

Al... if you want after you hone it up again ship it to me and lemme take a peek at it....