What's your take on nicks in a Blade?

[onotoman]

Hi Guys,

I have a 6/8ths Kropp razor which is really nice. I've honed it up and it shaves really well.

This morning in proper daylight (not often seen in England in December) I noticed that the blade has a small nick about an inch from the tip.

I'm pondering whether to hone out the nick now, or whether to leave it be until the razor needs honing again.

My thinking sways from, 'it doesn't seem to bother me whilst shaving, so leave it' to 'I know it's there, so get rid of it'

 

[Doc226]

Hi Guys,

I have a 6/8ths Kropp razor which is really nice. I've honed it up and it shaves really well.

This morning in proper daylight (not often seen in England in December) I noticed that the blade has a small nick about an inch from the tip.

I'm pondering whether to hone out the nick now, or whether to leave it be until the razor needs honing again.

My thinking sways from, 'it doesn't seem to bother me whilst shaving, so leave it' to 'I know it's there, so get rid of it'

If it is right at the toe and is not felt I would leave it alone, it will eventually get honed out.

 

[Redhead]

If it does not affect the shave leave it alone.
Red

 

[Puerco]

Thanks guys, I have this same problem with a Dovo stainless, there is a microchip in the middle that can only be seen with a magnifying glass but can not be felt shaving.
It was bothering me because this one is kinda hard to hone, it has an uneven spine. I will leave it there and just use it.

 

[MilkyLee]

I have a razor that has a small chip in the toe and I just leave it, like Doc said, it will eventually get honed out. Now if it left a trail of longer stubble than the the rest of the edge I would hone it out.

 

[onotoman]

Thanks guys,

I'll leave it until I next hone to remove the chip.

On the same subject, if you were selling the razor, would you hone out the chip, or leave it and point out to the buyer that it doesn't affect the shave?

 

[Doc226]

Thanks guys,

I'll leave it until I next hone to remove the chip.

On the same subject, if you were selling the razor, would you hone out the chip, or leave it and point out to the buyer that it doesn't affect the shave?

I would tell the buyer about it but I would not hone it out just to hone it out. I try to shave with most of the razors I hone for other members just to make sure the edge is good.

My MO is Barbicide the blade when I get it before I hone it, hone it and strop it, shave with it, Barbicide it again and strop it before I ship it.

I have 3 jars of Barbicide-One in the basement shop, one in the kitchen cabinet and one in the bathroom. I can barbicide on command.

 

[Proinsias]

A visible to the naked eye chip and inch from the tip? I'd be going back to the stones, it might shave fine but I've had a few bite me after a couple of shaves.

 

[gash]

Nicks in an edge are like snakes on a plane; it's just a matter of time.

 

[Gamma]

Life is too short to be shaving with a razor that has a nick/chip in the edge.
I certainly wouldn't buy a shave-ready blade with a distraction in the edge.
It's not even a matter of whether or not it affects the shave - to me it's more about the fact that the job should be done right.

 

[jred]

If you're going to sell it, I'd leave it, but tell the prospective buyer about it, and offer to leave it as is or fix it. I've seen a few blades I wish the seller had no "fixed". Absolutely not accusing you of being incompetent to fix it, but some of the "fixes" I've seen... ewww!

 

[Doc226]

Oh wait, I just read this again. I thought the nick was in the toe and not on the edge itself.

I would hone anything that is not perfect on the actual shaving edge.

 

[onotoman]

Hi Guys,

I finally took delivery of four lovely pieces of polished granite a few days ago. The granite was polished on both sides, so I cut to size and attached the self-adhesive lapping film to each side of the granite pieces, starting at 40 Micron, 30, 20, 10, 5, 1, 0.5.

I decided to try the Nicked Kropp on the 40 and wow, I was impressed. In a few minutes, the nick was gone, I continued through the grades and was going to stop at 1 micron, then thought, why not go all the way.

The result was a fantastic mirror-like edge and the shave was outstanding.

I just couldn't stop and honed another 4 razors that same night - including a smiling wedge that I'd been struggling with for months on my Cotti and Belgian Bluestone.

This Film Lark has me impressed.

 

[Seraphim]

Hi Guys,

I finally took delivery of four lovely pieces of polished granite a few days ago. The granite was polished on both sides, so I cut to size and attached the self-adhesive lapping film to each side of the granite pieces, starting at 40 Micron, 30, 20, 10, 5, 1, 0.5.

I decided to try the Nicked Kropp on the 40 and wow, I was impressed. In a few minutes, the nick was gone, I continued through the grades and was going to stop at 1 micron, then thought, why not go all the way.

The result was a fantastic mirror-like edge and the shave was outstanding.

I just couldn't stop and honed another 4 razors that same night - including a smiling wedge that I'd been struggling with for months on my Cotti and Belgian Bluestone.

This Film Lark has me impressed.

Oh yes, another convert!