Razor Problems

[Doc226]

I was contacted by a member who was having issues with his razor and getting it to cut. He is relatively new and as newbies he was wondering if it was him or the razor. He received the razor from a large honing place and he assumed any troubles were from technique and not razor.

Here are some edge pics

Look to me like a 4-6K scratch pattern at best. It was hard to capture but the very edge of the edge has a more rounded look and it is shinier-maybe some pasted strop.

The edge get a HHT 2-3 at best from me.

The shave was not good, tuggy and not smooth.

So I think the member has a two fold problem. One the razor is not what I would call shave ready-I could have finished a shave with it but it was not good and likely his technique is lacking.

 

[tomjr]

reset and go thru progression. looks like it has not seen a finishing hone or a 8k hone. the scratch pattern looks at best 3 to 4k. way to rough 4 shaving. just my opinion. was it sharpened by a knife place? looks like it 2 me, again just my opinion. tom

 

[Doc226]

reset and go thru progression. looks like it has not seen a finishing hone or a 8k hone. the scratch pattern looks at best 3 to 4k. way to rough 4 shaving. just my opinion. was it sharpened by a knife place? looks like it 2 me, again just my opinion. tom

I agree, I told the owner it looked like a 4-6K at best. It was honed by a razor honing place.

I do plan on killing the bevel and starting over.

 

[Obiwan]

Wow! I'm surprised you had the courage to take that to your face Doc.

This reinforces my prior opinion: I love to hone my own razors, but if I ever couldn't, I would want to send it to an individual honer / hobbyiest vs. a large company. Most of the individuals that hone for a fee (always reasonable IMO) tend to put their best effort into every edge and usually test shave each and every one where as a larger volume place can not.

Everyone turns out the occassional bad edge, but a test shave usually reveals that before it leaves the door. In this case, it doesn't even look like it was looked at.

 

[Wid]

It looks like someone was honing a batch of razors and forgot to get this one to a finishing stone. Doc has the cure for that, expect a real nice edge when it comes back.

 

[Marco]

I agree, I told the owner it looked like a 4-6K at best. It was honed by a razor honing place.

I do plan on killing the bevel and starting over.

Alfredo, what progression of stones will you use to rehone this one?

 

[Doc226]

Alfredo, what progression of stones will you use to rehone this one?

Set the bevel on the JNS 1K and nagura progression

 

[shaverjoe]

Set the bevel on the JNS 1K and nagura progression

Be sure to post pics of your post-honed edge. if it is anything like the ones you have sent me, you'll be able to see the buttery goodness through the loupe.

 

[Doc226]

Be sure to post pics of your post-honed edge. if it is anything like the ones you have sent me, you'll be able to see the buttery goodness through the loupe.

I'll do that. Good idea

 

[joshua1970]

Be sure to post pics of your post-honed edge. if it is anything like the ones you have sent me, you'll be able to see the buttery goodness through the loupe.

+1 both on posting pics and on the buttery goodness of Doc's edges lol

 

[shaverjoe]

I expect it to look something like this through the loupe.

 

[Doc226]

i expect it to look something like this through the loupe.

View attachment 287366

lol

 

[shaverjoe]

lol

Just sayin' And I'm not the only one saying it either. Your JNAT edges are phenomenal!

 

[rickboone1]

I can't tell much from the photo, but nothing wrong with finishing on a 6k level. Especially if they went to a pasted strop. Perhaps the member rolled the edge? I don't go by these microscope photos. Reason being, I've had some razors finished on very high grit stones, then pastes (say 30k shapton and diamonds) and wow that was a rough shave. Very rough and painful. I've experimented coming off the 1k and going straight to leather. While not the smoothest, it was better than that. But, look at any of those with a scope and you'll think otherwise.

 

[Doc226]

I can't tell much from the photo, but nothing wrong with finishing on a 6k level. Especially if they went to a pasted strop. Perhaps the member rolled the edge? I don't go by these microscope photos. Reason being, I've had some razors finished on very high grit stones, then pastes (say 30k shapton and diamonds) and wow that was a rough shave. Very rough and painful. I've experimented coming off the 1k and going straight to leather. While not the smoothest, it was better than that. But, look at any of those with a scope and you'll think otherwise.

Hard to say if the member had his part in messing up the edge but I think charging someone for a 6K finish and pasted strop is not right as far as I am concerned.

I agree with a razor finished on very high grits, sprays, pastes can lead to harsh edges but they are sharp.

The member stated that this edge tugged from the begging-not sure if he stropped before the first shave or not-it is possible that he rolled it from the get go.

 

[shaverjoe]

I can't tell much from the photo, but nothing wrong with finishing on a 6k level. Especially if they went to a pasted strop. Perhaps the member rolled the edge? I don't go by these microscope photos. Reason being, I've had some razors finished on very high grit stones, then pastes (say 30k shapton and diamonds) and wow that was a rough shave. Very rough and painful. I've experimented coming off the 1k and going straight to leather. While not the smoothest, it was better than that. But, look at any of those with a scope and you'll think otherwise.

But using a loupe image is helpful as one can correlate the loupe image to how it actually shaves. As you alluded to, no doubt some of the super-keen edges may not be comfortable- similar to a Feather DE blade- but I find correlating the loupe image of a blade to the shave to be very beneficial. Additionally, it is a diagnostic tool in trying to determine why a particular blade just doesnt feel right. JMO

 

[Doc226]

Here is the same razor after a Naniwa 5K

Before

I think my 5K looks better
Off to the JNAT now

 

[Doc226]

Fresh off the stones
Solid HHT 4

 

[Marco]

Looks wonderful now, Alfredo!

 

[rickboone1]

Hard to say if the member had his part in messing up the edge but I think charging someone for a 6K finish and pasted strop is not right as far as I am concerned.

I agree with a razor finished on very high grits, sprays, pastes can lead to harsh edges but they are sharp.

The member stated that this edge tugged from the begging-not sure if he stropped before the first shave or not-it is possible that he rolled it from the get go.

If the shave is worthy, who cares how it was finished? Obviously, this one doesn't meet that qualification, though.