The Ultimate Edge Test

[rbscebu]

I have two SRs in my current rotation, a Titan ACRM-2 and a Titan ACRO. Both are tree-topping before they even touch a hair (well almost). Before each use, the edge gets 50 laps on a clean leather strop and after, 50 laps on a 0.1u pasted hanging balsa strop.

I normally only do a two-pass shave; WTG and XTG. This gives me more shaves each week. I give each edge the ultimate test every couple of weeks and have noticed that me edges are improving.

The ultimate test? Some may call it the "fool's pass" - ATG on the upper lip.

Each time I run the ultimate test, the edges are improving. There is less pulling on my whiskers. When the edge in this test is as smooth as WTG on my cheeks, then I know that I have the ultimate edge.

I tested my Titan ACRM-2 this morning. It is almost there!

 

[Jakebullet]

I find this to be the ultimate sharpness test too. Cheeks are one thing but atg on my top lip really sorts the men from the boys edge-wise.

 

[ajkel64]

would you know a value on this set

Welcome to the forum. We are not allowed to appraise anything on the forum. Your best bet would be to have a look on eBay at completed listings and you can work it out from there. Good luck.

 

[rbscebu]

This morning my Titan 1918 ACRM-2 SR was again put to the UET. It passed!

This was my process to get to this result:

1. After giving this razor a method edge, the next 7 shaves each consisted of; 60 laps on a clean leather strop, 2-pass shave, 50 light laps on 0.5u hand-held pasted balsa, 50 light laps on 0.25u hand-held pasted balsa, 50 light laps on 0.1u hand-held pasted balsa, and finished with 50 very light laps on 0.1u hanging pasted balsa.
2. The next 4 shaves were the same, however I omitted the 0.5u pasted balsa.
3. The final 10 shaves were the same as 2. above except omitting the 0.25u pasted balsa.

Now that my ACRM-2 blade shaves ATG on my upper lip as easily as WTG on my cheek, I'll drop this razor back to 0.1u hanging balsa only after each shave.

I need to keep on working on my Titan 1918 ACRO razor. Being a much harder steel, this razor will take longer to get there.

You CAN get a SR to pass the UET!

 

[steveclarkus]

This morning my Titan 1918 ACRM-2 SR was again put to the UET. It passed!

This was my process to get to this result:

1. After giving this razor a method edge, the next 7 shaves each consisted of; 60 laps on a clean leather strop, 2-pass shave, 50 light laps on 0.5u hand-held pasted balsa, 50 light laps on 0.25u hand-held pasted balsa, 50 light laps on 0.1u hand-held pasted balsa, and finished with 50 very light laps on 0.1u hanging pasted balsa.
2. The next 4 shaves were the same, however I omitted the 0.5u pasted balsa.
3. The final 10 shaves were the same as 2. above except omitting the 0.25u pasted balsa.

Now that my ACRM-2 blade shaves ATG on my upper lip as easily as WTG on my cheek, I'll drop this razor back to 0.1u hanging balsa only after each shave.

I need to keep on working on my Titan 1918 ACRO razor. Being a much harder steel, this razor will take longer to get there.

You CAN get a SR to pass the UET!

I’ve kept razors primo for over a year with nothing but .1um balsa and leather stropping after each shave for over a year and they are as good or better than the first shave.

 

[rbscebu]

I now have four SR's passing the Fool's Pass Test (FPT). They are:

• Titan ACRO T.H.70
• Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 (Vesperum)
• Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 (Lunae)
• Gold Dollar W59

I have five more on hand that I am working on. They should be there within a week or two. There are also another 15 SR's in transit to keep me occupied if/when they arrive.

All my SR's are first given a Method edge; bevel set on whetstones, honed using lapping film and finally the diamond pasted balsa strops progression. At that level they easily tree-top but are still not comfortable with the FPT.

If, after a shave, the blade is not there, it gets a further diamond pasted balsa strop progression. This progression is reduced as the edge improves (normally after one or two shaves), first dropping out the 0.5um and then the 0.25um. Once the edge is "there", the 0.1um is dropped out. Then the edge is just maintained on 0.1um hanging balsa strop after each shave.

This way I get the perfect edge for me and, baring physical damage, never have to hone one of those blades again.

 

[rbscebu]

Steel hardness has a lot to do with how much work is required on a blade to get it "there". Most SR's are a high carbon steel blade with hardnesses approaching 60 RHC. Most of the good stainless steel SR's have a RHC in the early 60's (my W59 is about 61 RHC). Then you can get some specialist stainless steel blades with hardnesses approaching 70 RHC (my ACRO is about 68 RHC).

Generally, the harder the steel, the more work is required and better it holds an edge. The edge retention is also affected by steel grain size and intergranular bonding.

For me, the best edges come from hard steel (I don't mind the extra initial work) with small grain size and good intergranular bonding.

 

[camoloc]

Steel hardness has a lot to do with how much work is required on a blade to get it "there". Most SR's are a high carbon steel blade with hardnesses approaching 60 RHC. Most of the good stainless steel SR's have a RHC in the early 60's (my W59 is about 61 RHC). Then you can get some specialist stainless steel blades with hardnesses approaching 70 RHC (my ACRO is about 68 RHC).

Generally, the harder the steel, the more work is required and better it holds an edge. The edge retention is also affected by steel grain size and intergranular bonding.

For me, the best edges come from hard steel (I don't mind the extra initial work) with small grain size and good intergranular bonding.

good deal....have a stache so no FPT for me. i use jawline clearing result and pesky right side neck clearing to determine how my edges are doing.

see.....there goes more diamond paste!!!!!

camo

 

[alla2465]

kinda unrelated, but people should not buy into the whole "fools pass" thing
I started going ATG on my upper lip, I hold my other hand on the toe, and I regret I did not started doing this earlier simply because people say "DoNt ShAvE aGaInSt ThE gRaIn On YoUr UpPeR lIp, FoOlS pAsS xdddddddd"
Try it folks, you will not regret it.

 

[rbscebu]

kinda unrelated, but people should not buy into the whole "fools pass" thing
I started going ATG on my upper lip, I hold my other hand on the toe, and I regret I did not started doing this earlier simply because people say "DoNt ShAvE aGaInSt ThE gRaIn On YoUr UpPeR lIp, FoOlS pAsS xdddddddd"
Try it folks, you will not regret it.

I very much agree. Doing the FPT is a great way to really see if you have perfected the edge to your liking.

 

[ajduplessis]

kinda unrelated, but people should not buy into the whole "fools pass" thing
I started going ATG on my upper lip, I hold my other hand on the toe, and I regret I did not started doing this earlier simply because people say "DoNt ShAvE aGaInSt ThE gRaIn On YoUr UpPeR lIp, FoOlS pAsS xdddddddd"
Try it folks, you will not regret it.

Same technique Jarrod from TSS uses, great for the chin as well...

 

[rbscebu]

For me being told about the dangers of doing the fool's pass was like being told "don't do it or you'll go blind". It was all to late as I had already started.

BTW, I can still see - just.

 

[Christian1212]

IMO the ultimate test is how many shaves your edge can do comfortably while only needing to be stropped without paste touch-up.

 

[Jakebullet]

I once heard it called ‘the master’s pass - Les maītres passent
I prefer that

 

[ajduplessis]

IMO the ultimate test is how many shaves your edge can do comfortably while only needing to be stropped without paste touch-up.

Typically if my edges can perform the fool’s pass effortlessly the edge will have longevity. My last honed razor reached 77 shaves with stropping only before it was sold (after a quick refresh). All my customers get around 60-100 shaves off my edges before requesting a refresh.

Good stropping technique before and after each shave is critical to maintain the edge quality...

 

[rbscebu]

IMO the ultimate test is how many shaves your edge can do comfortably while only needing to be stropped without paste touch-up.

That is more a measure of how well a blade can hold an edge, not the quality of the edge. All else being equal, edge use longitivey is mainly determined by steel type/hardness and bevel angle, not how sharp and keen the edge is.

 

[Christian1212]

That is more a measure of how well a blade can hold an edge, not the quality of the edge. All else being equal, edge use longitivey is mainly determined by steel type/hardness and bevel angle, not how sharp and keen the edge is.

Going to have to disagree a bit there. The edge can start to become fragile if you stick on higher grits to long.

 

[rbscebu]

Going to have to disagree a bit there. The edge can start to become fragile if you stick on higher grits to long.

I agree with you, however I did say all else being equal. If two edges have the same fragility due to their honing, it still comes down to steel type/hardness and bevel angle, not sharpness/keenness.