Decided to start a new thread for all resident experts to share their thoughts and opinions on making the edge feel really smooth. I manage to produce wickedly sharp edges, but they are not as smooth as I want them to be. I am sure I am missing a lot of intermediate steps between finishing an edge on Chinese 12K [A] and then just stropping on leather before shaving . Apparently, there are multiple additional steps on that seemingly simple path from A to B. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Favorite methods to make an edge smooth?
- Thread starter Sputnik
- Start date
After my finisher, I go to CrO, then strop .
If needed I also use .25 micron diamond spray on felt, and/or CeO on leather.
The CeO is the finest of all so its my last step (if needed) before leather strop.
If needed I also use .25 micron diamond spray on felt, and/or CeO on leather.
The CeO is the finest of all so its my last step (if needed) before leather strop.
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- Thread starter
- #4
I use it on leather on a bench strop
I don't use anything after my hones. Asagi or Thurry, I find both sharp and smooth.
When you guys say "if needed" I go to XX strop or XX hone....how do you tell? By shaving?
So...in the middle of a shave, face full of lather with one crappy pass behind you...you go to a CrO pasted strop...then a leather...then shave again?
Sorry for the Newb question
So...in the middle of a shave, face full of lather with one crappy pass behind you...you go to a CrO pasted strop...then a leather...then shave again?
Sorry for the Newb question
Mid shave I'd just grab another razor. But yea, shave testing is the best way to tell. IMO it's the only way to really know for sure.
When you guys say "if needed" I go to XX strop or XX hone....how do you tell? By shaving?
So...in the middle of a shave, face full of lather with one crappy pass behind you...you go to a CrO pasted strop...then a leather...then shave again?
Sorry for the Newb question
For me, I hone, HHT, inspect with scope, make any needed changes, and shave. I just stick with the razor I have, and do the whole shave I almost never change horses mid stream. If it's a bad shaver, I'll certainly know by the time I'm through!
My thuringian certainly does put a slick and smooth edge on a razor. Best $10 I ever spent.
When you guys say "if needed" I go to XX strop or XX hone....how do you tell? By shaving?
So...in the middle of a shave, face full of lather with one crappy pass behind you...you go to a CrO pasted strop...then a leather...then shave again?
Sorry for the Newb question
If I'm trying something new, or have a questionable hone job, I will also grab a razor I know will shave well so I can switch to that one just in case I need to.
You are a braver man than I Craig.
You got ripped off. Mine was free.
For normal touch-ups, I use a BBW with slurry followed by a Yellow Coticule with water and a drop of liquid soap. I finish on a Japanese natural (Awaseto Honyama) and strop.
my favourite method for making a razor smooth is to sharpen it properly 
No, really. If your razor doesn´t shave smoothly, it´s probably not as sharp as you think.
If a razor shaves nicely but I want to put on the last 5% I go to a pasting strop.
It usually is a leather strop with chromium oxide or iron oxide.
I let the strop sag a bit to give the edge an ever so slight convexness.
This usually brings the blade to it´s best performance.
No, really. If your razor doesn´t shave smoothly, it´s probably not as sharp as you think.
If a razor shaves nicely but I want to put on the last 5% I go to a pasting strop.
It usually is a leather strop with chromium oxide or iron oxide.
I let the strop sag a bit to give the edge an ever so slight convexness.
This usually brings the blade to it´s best performance.
I've wondered about this. I've been pulling pretty hard on my strops to keep them from sagging, trying not to pooch the edge (noobness).
Yet one more variable to wrap my head around.
I'm not even gonna ask "how much sag"?
I am the odd one out, I don't like CrOx. In fact, I rarely use pastes anymore, especially if I have finished on a J-Nat. Straight to the strops - 40 on the linen (no polyesters for me) and 60 on the cordovan.
Well, I guess we're both odd ones out (if you don't mind being grouped with me) because I feel exactly the same way.
Some guys have all the luck!
For smoothing an edge I use CrOx on a balsa strop.
So....you went from just using a Barbers for 30 years to this?
Dumb question...the methods are "comparable" for touch up right? Obviously if you were using a Barbers that long....it wasn't giving you bad shaves right?
No, the barbers hone was great but it got lost in a move. Then I went out on the Internet to find a replacement and stumbled into the forums and, as they say, the rest is history. I went from 1 razor and a barbers hone to, well, you know how the ADs are.
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