When it stops shaving well.
Get some magnification, any magnification. Look straight down on the edge with strong light behind you. If you see any shiny reflections, that is where the edges are not meeting, chip or rolled edge.
If proper stropping on leather will not bring the edge back, (no reflections looking straight down on the edge) it needs to go to the hones. How bad/large the reflections, dictates how much honing it needs.
If you do a few laps on a finish stone, 8k or higher or quality Natural, Slate, Jnat or hard Ark you can “maintained” the edge. A pasted strop can also work but is a double edge sword if stropping has not been mastered.
When I learned, I maintained a razor on a 6-inch Translucent Ark, a few laps every week or so, for 10 years and with a strop.
Almost set. Note the reflections, chips.
Fully set. Note no reflections, the edge is grey from heel to toe.
Get some magnification, any magnification. Look straight down on the edge with strong light behind you. If you see any shiny reflections, that is where the edges are not meeting, chip or rolled edge.
If proper stropping on leather will not bring the edge back, (no reflections looking straight down on the edge) it needs to go to the hones. How bad/large the reflections, dictates how much honing it needs.
If you do a few laps on a finish stone, 8k or higher or quality Natural, Slate, Jnat or hard Ark you can “maintained” the edge. A pasted strop can also work but is a double edge sword if stropping has not been mastered.
When I learned, I maintained a razor on a 6-inch Translucent Ark, a few laps every week or so, for 10 years and with a strop.
Almost set. Note the reflections, chips.
Fully set. Note no reflections, the edge is grey from heel to toe.
