I am considering getting into straight shaving but am concerned about honing. How often will I have to hone my razor? If I am having a hard time and need to send it out how often will that be? This is probably one of my biggest concerns along with stropping.
How often should you hone your razor?
- Thread starter merkurguy
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Word 'round the campfire is once every 3-6 months, assuming that you don't damage the edge through stropping or otherwise. Of course, if you're using a ultra fine-pasted strop and you get the edge wickedly sharp, it'll dull more quickly, as there's less metal at the edge itself and will therefore be less sturdy. With that, though, touchups are supposedly pretty quick and simple (something like 5 laps).
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- #3
So stropping is the main way you keep your razor sharp. It sure seems like a lot to learn.
Stropping isn't quite that. Stropping on a pasted strop (one impregnated with an extremely high grit of diamond or chromium in a loose binder) is one way to keep it sharp. Another is to use a hone like a whetstone.
Stropping normally refers to what you do before you shave - running the razor over the leather 50 or so times. That doesn't sharpen it per se, but more or less smooths and aligns the edge. It's sort of like using a steel (that blunt, sometimes ridged, metal stick with a handle) with kitchen knives. Those you sharpen on a stone / sharpmaker / electric sharpener, but you use the steel to smooth the edge right before you use the knife. Neither the unpasted (normal) strop nor the steel really sharpen, just smooth.
Stropping normally refers to what you do before you shave - running the razor over the leather 50 or so times. That doesn't sharpen it per se, but more or less smooths and aligns the edge. It's sort of like using a steel (that blunt, sometimes ridged, metal stick with a handle) with kitchen knives. Those you sharpen on a stone / sharpmaker / electric sharpener, but you use the steel to smooth the edge right before you use the knife. Neither the unpasted (normal) strop nor the steel really sharpen, just smooth.
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- #5
Ok. I get it. I think.So, I could get by without a hone at first but definitely need a strop.
Assuming that you have it honed before it gets to you, yes, you'd need a strop, but not necessarily a hone.
Of course, if you roll the edge of the razor on the strop, or you otherwise damage the edge, you'll need to have it honed or hone it yourself either by means of hones or pasted strop. Note also that you can't use the same strop surface for both pastes and normal stropping. For pastes, the consensus is that you should use a dedicated paddle strop, preferably with multiple faces for multiple grits.
Of course, if you roll the edge of the razor on the strop, or you otherwise damage the edge, you'll need to have it honed or hone it yourself either by means of hones or pasted strop. Note also that you can't use the same strop surface for both pastes and normal stropping. For pastes, the consensus is that you should use a dedicated paddle strop, preferably with multiple faces for multiple grits.
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- #7
I think I am going to try the feather AC first. I know it is sharp as heck and will be different than a regular straight but it is the most econmical way to see if straights are for me. I think I may cork the blades a bit before use from what I have read.Feathers are deadly if not used cautiously. I drew a little blood last night with my futur/feather combo.
The problem is people think they will use a feather as a way to either economize or see whether they want to go to a straight. The problem is a feather is entirely different than a straight and probably has more in common with a DE than a true straight. So if you want to use a feather thats fine but don't use that as any kind of judgement as to how you would find a straight.
I'd agree that it's going to be different than a real straight. The thing is, though, that I don't think that it's the most economic way of going about it. Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a Feather AC blade essentially a longer, single sided DE-type blade? I would think that a DOVO shavette with snapped DE blades would provide you with a pretty much identical shave to that which you'd get from an AC. Sure, it'd be shorter, so you wouldn't cover as much area per pass, but it should be close, and it'd sure be cheaper.
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- #10
True a shavette is a lot cheaper. I don't know. I have been going back and forth on this matter. I would really love a real straight but the maintenance is turning me off. The feather at least looks like a straight. Maybe I should just get rid of this RAD for now and enjoy my futur and 38C. I would porbably be better off.My problem is I get bored of things real easy.I love wet shaving but want something else now.
The "maintenance" is the biggest aspect of straight razor shaving - and why many of us do it.... it's like tying your own flyfishing flys and catching a fish every-time.
If the "maintenance" aspect of straight razors is a big turn off for you - straight razors are most certainly not for you. It sounds like you're happy with your DE's... I suggest you stick with 'em.
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- #12
Yes, that might be a good idea for the time being.For one thing, the initial costs are something I can't afford right now(Razor,strop,hone etc..).Maybe someday I will reach the level where I want to get into something more nostalgic.
The "maintenance" is the biggest aspect of straight razor shaving - and why many of us do it.... it's like tying your own flyfishing flys and catching a fish every-time.
If the "maintenance" aspect of straight razors is a big turn off for you - straight razors are most certainly not for you. It sounds like you're happy with your DE's... I suggest you stick with 'em.
I'm in total agreement. The patience, frustration, and ultimate satisfaction of fly fishing in the bathroom "lake" every morning.
If you get a paddle strop from Tony, and get one side pasted with either 1 or 1/2 micron diamond or chromium oxide, then you can go a long time before you need to hone - a year or two certainly, but maybe a lot more - nobody really knows for certain how long you can keep a razor going with just a pasted paddle. And if you're armed with a pasted paddle you don't even have to be very good at honing. Even if you're the sort of guy who simply makes his razor duller whenever he tries to hone (and you laugh, but it does happen), the pasted paddle will get you sharp again.
Hi guys i would just like to know what is that sharp pointy thing pointing downwards at the tip of the shavette. And will it poke holes in my skin if i shave with it???
I would like to know if i can weekly sharpen my cut throat on a "Edge Pro" with a 8000stone and the rest of the week sharpen it on a leather belt.
IMightBeWrong
Loves a smelly brush
Once a week is too frequent IMO and an EP is pretty aggressive and may not keep the edge straight (could end up with a smiling razor). It's best to get some proper stones. You don't need to worry about the angle since you just lay the razor flat on the stone.
In my experience, when I was at first getting the hang of things, I dulled my edges FAST, everything clumsy ans ackward. Needless to say, I nicked my strop more than I would of liked. But thats just how it goes, part of the learning curve. I sent my first razor out for 1 honing and it came back sharp to the best of my knowledge at that time. After that I invested in a set of synthetic hones and never looked back. For some, including myself, honing is more enjoyable than the shave itself, even more so once I looked into some natural stones. If you are looking for fast/repeatable guaranteed sharp and shave ready, shavettes are the ticket. But if you enjoy the process of things and are of the nostalgic and DYI type, straights may just your ticket. Let me tell you if you intrested in straights, try them. There are many good folks here with a plethora of knowledge that are eager to share or help.
I received my straight razor as a gift several weeks ago. Somehow I managed to dull half the edge by stropping and tried to save the day using whetsones (250/1000 and 4000/8000). I ended up with a smiling edge and totally killed the blade. Then I decided to recreate the bevel and that ended up in removing about a third of blades width in the process.
I'd post a picture, but I'm too ashamed of the results
It was enough for me to fall in love with the new shaving routine though, so I am looking to buy a new blade and try not to screw up this time.
Question is: how do I hone it without damaging the back of the blade? It is a stainless steel Solingen and I assume I failed at honing because the back lost metal during frictions and angle was constantly changing. Tried with tape, but it wears off after several strokes.
How do you guys hone and how much pressure you put to avoid damaging the blade?
I'd post a picture, but I'm too ashamed of the results
It was enough for me to fall in love with the new shaving routine though, so I am looking to buy a new blade and try not to screw up this time.
Question is: how do I hone it without damaging the back of the blade? It is a stainless steel Solingen and I assume I failed at honing because the back lost metal during frictions and angle was constantly changing. Tried with tape, but it wears off after several strokes.
How do you guys hone and how much pressure you put to avoid damaging the blade?
If your tape is wearing out you are using WAY too much pressure. With practice you should be able to hone with very little pressure and wear to the spine regardless of whether you use tape or not. Use the spine as a guide, the pressure on the spine should be just enough to keep it on the stone with the pressure on the edge being slightly more than that.
