Sharpening Your Razor??

KnifeAddictAK

KnifeAddictAK

Joined
Nov 17, 2003
Messages
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I recently picked up an Astrological Dovo straight razor. I used it last night with some Col. Conk almond soap and a silver tip badger brush. Forgive me if the above sounds bad. First time using a razor and still getting the language down. I managed to do my chin without lobbing anything off... :D

Now, I have read about you guys getting a NICE edge on your razors, better than the factory edge... What stone would work best? and some tips please on sharpening this new addition..

Also, I saw that Forschner/Victorinox has a waterstone combo that is 4000/8000 grit for $110 retail or something.. would this be a good choice or overkill/underkill?? Thanks in advance
 
Also, if you guys could please give your input on strops, compounds for the strops and in general, your process for sharpening and maintaining your razors... I did a search, but figured i'd like to get information from "regular joes" such as myself.... thanks again
 
classicshaving.com sells a 4x/8x Norton combo stone for much less than $110 bux. I have been getting by with some old barber stones. I don't really want to invest in a Norton until I get my honing technique down.
 
I picked up a 4000 and 8000 grit artificial Japanese water stones. I'm not sure how they compare to the Norton stones. Anyway, I was able to touch up my razors on these and shave with them. However, I was examining the razors under my little microscope and found I was able to get a finer scratch pattern using other methods. Maybe I'm going off in my own direction and not following the traditional methods but I'm always for in with the new and old with the old. :)

I picked up some of that 0.5micron micro-abrasive paper from LeeValley.com. I lay this on a piece of plate glass and I used this as my final hone. I wasn't stropping on this, I was pushing forward and using the same technique as if I was on a razor hone. This seemed to give me a more polished edge than I was getting from the 8000x water stone. Then I stropped on a leather strop loaded with 0.5 micron compound, then I even played around with a 0.25 micron diamond paste compound on another strop. Probably over kill. Anyway, after this I just stropped on a plain leather strop and I was good to go.

I think the key to the water stones is to make sure they are kept very clean. Build up of metal and what not may lead to a rougher finish. I need to spend more time honing razors and studing the results to be more conclusive.

I try to come off the hone being able to grab and slice the hair on my head. At this point it's usually ready to be stropped and then I like to see it cleanly slicing my fine arm hair well above skin level.
 
Wade, how are you cutting hair above skin level? Maybe my hair is just really fine, but I can never manage it. Leg hair maybe, but arm hair?
 
andymp said:
Wade, how are you cutting hair above skin level? Maybe my hair is just really fine, but I can never manage it. Leg hair maybe, but arm hair?
Click to expand...

I have fine hair too. The finer the hair, the harder it is to cut. I guess I just get a really good edge on it. I pass the edge of the razor through my arm hair (what few hairs I have left) and if I don't see any cutting I keep stropping. Sometimes the razor will grab the hair, pull a bit and cut it. Other times I will just see the hair cut and never feel it pull! Then I know I've got a pretty sharp edge.

I'm still not sure how my edge's compare to some of these other guys who have been doing this for a long time. I think I'm at the point where the razor's steel and design is the limiting factor. I'd like to pick up a razor with a higher grade steel. Like a TI razor, even though they are made in France.. :)
 
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