Thiers Issard not sharp enough

[Kuba]

I sent my brand new Thiers Issard off to have it professionally sharpened because I didn't think it was sharp enough. It was supposed to be shave ready and it would shave, sort of. But it would drag and I had to force it to cut a few times. I ended up with a weeper one day and two the next. My other straight razor, sharpened by this professional near me, shaves wonderfully. So, thinking that if I had a DE blade that shaved like that I'd change it, I sent it off to have it honed on some smoother stones than the factory uses.

Now, perhaps people have different ideas of what sharp is. Perhaps the good folks at TI that made my gorgeous razor have a different idea of sharp. I don't know. When I want sharp, I want something that has a smooth edge, not coarse, and will whittle hair.

Just got a new TI and it definitely isn’t sharp enough. During the first shave I compared it to my older shavette with basic Wilkinson blades. The TI is pulling my hair and it’s unusable. It doesn’t explicitly say in any of the papers it came with that it’s “shave ready” which I didn’t expect.
Will have to send it to a professional until I learn to sharpen it myself.

 

[Pedigree]

New TI edges are at the mercy of the luck of the draw. I've had some that weren't shave ready and I've had some that shaved beautifully with a factory edge (the ones I get direct from TI, not a 3rd party vendor). The first few razors I used to learn to hone on (my coticules) were the hard TI's with the C135 steel, so honing them doesn't seem any more difficult then honing on other razors (though it made the honing of other razors much quicker). I use mostly TI's with the hard C135 steel.

If you'd like, I can hone it for you and put a natural coticule and ark edge on it that will be very keen. Send me a PM if you'd like, I just ask that you cover shipping, but I'd be happy to hone it for you/

 

[Pedigree]

Factory edges aren't sharp enough unless by "factory" we mean small high end shops ala Koraat, Aust, etc. Boker, TI, Dovo, other large manufacturers don't hone manually before shipping

TI both hones and strops on pastes.

 

[Pedigree]

^ @Darth Scandalous, "Of course it helps that his razors don't have geometry issues when they leave his workshop."

Yes, and this is where TI falls flat on its face.

I've owned 11 or 12 razors from TI and none had geometry issues, though not every razor had a perfectly uniform bevel or spine wear from the factory. They shave great.

 

[Doc Dan]

Well sharpened TI razors shave extremely well. On Christmas Day I got a VFS, near BBS, using mine. I like these razors so much I'm going to have to get another one.

 

[Pedigree]

Well sharpened TI razors shave extremely well. On Christmas Day I got a VFS, near BBS, using mine. I like these razors so much I'm going to have to get another one.

I haven't forgotten to post pics of my new TI's, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Been crazy busy.

 

[PWJ]

The sad thing is that I think this creates a big barrier to entry. Most people who are interested in trying out straight razor shaving, if they manage to overcome the exaggerated fear that they will accidentally slice off the carotid artery, will simply buy a Dovo, Boker, TI razor at the local grooming boutique or online - and are likely to struggle without a real edge. At the very least, honing should always be offered as an add-on service and it should be stated clearly that the razor will not be shave ready otherwise.

 

[DrStrange]

The sad thing is that I think this creates a big barrier to entry. Most people who are interested in trying out straight razor shaving, if they manage to overcome the exaggerated fear that they will accidentally slice off the carotid artery, will simply buy a Dovo, Boker, TI razor at the local grooming boutique or online - and are likely to struggle without a real edge. At the very least, honing should always be offered as an add-on service and it should be stated clearly that the razor will not be shave ready otherwise.

Even then, there are still variables involved.

I paid extra to have a brand new Hart Steel razor honed.
It gave me weepers shaving arm hair!!!

All of my pocket knives and kitchen knives
can shave arm hair without weepers.
My razors coming straight off a 1K bevel setter,
can shave arm hair without weepers.

 

[PWJ]

Even then, there are still variables involved.

I paid extra to have a brand new Hart Steel razor honed.
It gave me weepers shaving arm hair!!!

All of my pocket knives and kitchen knives
can shave arm hair without weepers.
My razors coming straight off a 1K bevel setter,
can shave arm hair without weepers.

Sure thing, it's no guarantee but it would be way better than what's currently the case.

 

[Doc Dan]

Some places, such as The Invisible Edge, hone every razor that comes into the shop, regardless of claims of shave ready by the maker.

 

[rbscebu]

One man's shave-ready can be another man's butter knife.

 

[Doc226]

I have never bought a razor from a big factory, I have honed many from guys stating they weren't shave ready.

I have only seen the ones that have not been good, have no idea how many actually were shave ready

 

[rbscebu]

Since my September post last year in this thread, I received my first truly shave-ready edge SR directly from a factory. It was my 10th Titan ACRO T.H-70. it still had a compound bevel but it was shave-ready. Their honer must have had an off day .