Tracking the shaves with a straight

[Luc]

I started doing it for the last month. I count how many shaves I get from each straight and I plan to do an average per blade. My counter will go back to 0 when I hone the blade.

Since I got my Ipod, I use the notes (no shave apps) to count how many shaves for my specific straights. With the quantity that I have, it will take a while before I have to re-hone one of them...

I'm curious to know if someone else is counting and if yes, how? What are the results?

 

[Freedom]

Since I have started honing I have tried to count, because I think I am messing up somewhere.

I shave 3 times a week so theres a fair amount hair by the time I shave. So far I have done 4 then pasted strop, 3 then pasted strop. 3 then pasted strop.

I just think I am doing too many laps with my strop because already it seems harder to get the edge back.

 

[Chimensch]

I think that the number of shaves will vary widely from person to person and from razor to razor. I have noticed that, when I started using a sliding stroke, I got more shaves from a razor because the sliding action either saves wear on the edge or makes a duller razor feel more comfortable.

Since I'm only using my 7-day set of Le Grelots now, I counted 15 shaves as my limit and now routinely hone my razors at the beginning of each quarter, touching up each razor on the day I use it for the first week of January, April, July and October.

Since my honing sequence is BBW with slurry, Coticule with water and Awaseto Honyama with water, I only go back to the Jnat for touch-ups and don't expect to have to go back to the BBW/Coticule for a very long time.

 

[Luc]

Agreed, it will vary from one to another. It would give a good idea on how much shaves one is getting from a straight.

 

[global_dev]

i was thinking of keeping a journal on each blade in terms of honing also. when how and with what...

alas i have written nothing down... i really need to..

 

[superbleu]

Everytime I try something like this, I lose track after about 3 shaves.

 

[azmark]

I keep index cards with:

Name of Razor:
Hone/s used:
Strop Used: # passes
Linen/Cotton/Felt Used:
Pastes:
Progression/Method:
Dulled the edge:
Finisher:
EX:
Bevel-DMT 1200
Norton 4k/8k Pyramid starting from 15
Tested by: TPT or Shave tested

Touched up on:
Stone used for touch up:

I lose track of what I've done to what razor. It is also nice that I can see what may be effecting an edge and what leaps I'm making on a certain method.

On the blank side of the card I put a mark each time I have to know how long the edge is lasting and when it may need a touch up or rehone.

 

[oscar11]

No I don't. I get enough record keeping at work. If I'm curious about a razor I might shave with it daily for a couple of weeks to see how it holds up. I use the HHT as a baseline test, heel, point and middle of the blade.

 

[Freedom]

Where's all the numbers? It's not like anything can be gained by people saying they can get 100 shave from a razor, I'm quite interested in the figures too.

 

[Luc]

Where's all the numbers? It's not like anything can be gained by people saying they can get 100 shave from a razor, I'm quite interested in the figures too.

I will post the numbers of the next razor that I hone. I think the important information would be the size, manufacturer, steel, #shaves, #laps on strop, # passes per shave...

 

[oscar11]

I have 8 straights in rotation right now, all recently honed. One of them has 9 shaves on it. I don't have a clue as to the rest but they have less. It's only seen my (2) homemade leather strops since it came off the hones. One of the strops was treated with William shaving lather rubbed in good and has a tight draw. The other, I sanded with 1000 grit wet & dry sandpaper and treated with neatsfoot oil, it's pretty slick. 30 with each between shaves. 5 of the razors were made by the same maker (American) 2 made in Solingen the other unknown but I suspect American. All bevels were o.k. when I started honing. Each razor had 20 slurried light circular strokes on each side of the blade. 20 light x strokes. This was to smooth the bevels, done on a Norton 4000. I'll do a pyramid starting at 5 on the Norton 4000-8000. I had to do an additional 5 pyramid on one of the Solingen's. I finish on a Chinese 12,000, with 100 light x strokes. 5 strokes on balsa with CO, 80 on canvas, 100 on newspaper, 50 on each of my strops. BTW, all my strops are bench strops. I'm happy with the way my razors are shaving. If they don't pass the HHT back to the 5 pyramid.