Ok so against all odds and advice, I decided to go ahead and buy a 4 dollar Gold Dollar #66 off ebay just to play around and to pratice how to hone a straight razor. Took about 2 weeks to get here from China but I received it today. Out of the box it was one of the dullest blades/edges I ever got, right up there with my Byrd Cara Cara 2. Tried to wittle hair and it wouldn't even come close. It barely was able to cut printer paper much less newsprint. Taped up the spine and off to my paper wheels. Sharpened how I ususally would any other blade of mines and went from grit wheel to white compound to Green CrO to stropping on Newsprint (about 3-4 mins, it actually took me longer to find some masking tape and tape up the blade). Results were pretty good I think where I would easily wittle and even pop hair from free hanging hair, HHT#4 (from http://www.coticule.be/hanging-hair-test.html). Tried to shave and there was no drag, no skipping, and it was quite a smooth and very close shave with no irritation although I notice I could actually hear the hairs being cut. Same when it would test it via the hanging hair test, it would sorta sing. I never heard a blade do that before. Is that normal?
Considering its a 4 dollar blade, I think it was a pretty good deal and it really didn't take much work on my part to get this baby pretty freaken sharp. The blade steel seems to be able to take a very keen edge (one of the major things I was worried about). I never delt with a blade this thin before and I'd love to match this against something honed by a pro or something more expensive. Oh well, perhaps in the future which begs the question, do I really need a 150-300 dollar straight razor?
I need a new project so I'm gonna buy another one (hey only 4 bucks) sharpen it up and then rehandle it as well as add some jimping to the back of the blade. Should be fun.
Considering its a 4 dollar blade, I think it was a pretty good deal and it really didn't take much work on my part to get this baby pretty freaken sharp. The blade steel seems to be able to take a very keen edge (one of the major things I was worried about). I never delt with a blade this thin before and I'd love to match this against something honed by a pro or something more expensive. Oh well, perhaps in the future which begs the question, do I really need a 150-300 dollar straight razor?
I need a new project so I'm gonna buy another one (hey only 4 bucks) sharpen it up and then rehandle it as well as add some jimping to the back of the blade. Should be fun.
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