So I got this custom razor in France over the Christmas break.
It is massive and beautifully crafted in Damascus steel wrapped in Ebony scales.
First disappointment came when I tried to shave with it. It was supposed to be shave-ready (just strop it).
I stropped it, a lot and it did not shave at all.
I tried to strop it a lot more and it still was not even close to shaving.
Actually, it did not even pass the test I make when I set a bevel.
Back at home, I finally got around to hone it.
It took a while.
The main problem was that the geometry did not allow for a proper bevel: the spine is not wide enough.
I tried first with one layer of electric tape, then two and kept going.
I did not want to go over 3 but after hours trying to reach a bevel, I saw it would not work.
Same with 4.
So in the end 5 did it.
Once the bevel was set on a DMT, the rest was a breeze. King 1k, Norton 4K, Norton 8K, King 6K. Shapton 12K, Shapton 15K and finished on Gokumyo 20K.
That thing turned out as hard to hone as a Sweeney Todd.
One the plus side, the shave was excellent.
It is massive and beautifully crafted in Damascus steel wrapped in Ebony scales.
First disappointment came when I tried to shave with it. It was supposed to be shave-ready (just strop it).
I stropped it, a lot and it did not shave at all.
I tried to strop it a lot more and it still was not even close to shaving.
Actually, it did not even pass the test I make when I set a bevel.
Back at home, I finally got around to hone it.
It took a while.
The main problem was that the geometry did not allow for a proper bevel: the spine is not wide enough.
I tried first with one layer of electric tape, then two and kept going.
I did not want to go over 3 but after hours trying to reach a bevel, I saw it would not work.
Same with 4.
So in the end 5 did it.
Once the bevel was set on a DMT, the rest was a breeze. King 1k, Norton 4K, Norton 8K, King 6K. Shapton 12K, Shapton 15K and finished on Gokumyo 20K.
That thing turned out as hard to hone as a Sweeney Todd.
One the plus side, the shave was excellent.