Thread: Can t get my Boker Silver Steel sharp

Originally Posted by Cangooner

He used power wheels to hone the blade? Or just to polish the sides (i.e. not touching the edge). If power tools are being used to hone the edge, is this a knife sharpener or a dedicated razor honer? I wouldn't let anyone near the edges of my straights with any power tool.

Quite apart from the potential for pretty explosive disasters should a powered tool catch the razor, there is also great heat buildup when using powered tools on a razor. The steel is so thin that it can heat to the point of ruining the edge's hardness in a heartbeat. If that has not happened, then the Boker should be fine once you get the right combination of honer and stone. They are good razors. If the heat treatment has been damaged by overheating, then I'm afraid you're hooped.

Excellent Post! The heat buildup issue make complete sense. I'm betting the fellow who used power to hone doesn't have a clue about SEs.

Just a few questions. Does your boker shave facial hair? Does your boker shave rough / beard pulling, with alot of irritation? Do you strop the razor before every shave? How many shaves did you attempt since last honing? what in fact is different about the shave of the boker compared to your others? Sorry for the dumb questions but curiosity is strong with me. Im just trying to see if its a matter of " It shaves the hair but my face is on fire when im finished" or "I cant finish a stroke without getting the blade hung up on my beard and it wont come off without pain" to the extreme " this razor is useless for shaving". Either way pictures of the edge and condition of the razor will get you a lot more answers from savvy members.

Originally Posted by Razorfaust

Just a few questions. Does your boker shave facial hair? Does your boker shave rough / beard pulling, with alot of irritation? Do you strop the razor before every shave? How many shaves did you attempt since last honing? what in fact is different about the shave of the boker compared to your others? Sorry for the dumb questions but curiosity is strong with me. Im just trying to see if its a matter of " It shaves the hair but my face is on fire when im finished" or "I cant finish a stroke without getting the blade hung up on my beard and it wont come off without pain" to the extreme " this razor is useless for shaving". Either way pictures of the edge and condition of the razor will get you a lot more answers from savvy members.

The razor shaves and it will deliver a BBS if i insist. The difference between the Boker and my other SR is that it does not go through the hair as smoothly as the other ones, it pulls....it feels as my other SR when they need a pass to the Chromium Oxide....did not have time to take a pic but as soon as I have a moment I ll post a picture.

I saw your thread title and for a second thought you were the guy that sent me this Boker to hone, since he also couldn't get it to shave quite as well as his other razors... Then I saw you were from Spain and not Boise Idaho

I do NOT know if yours has the same issue but I have seen several like this


Can you see the issue with the Boker ???





Here maybe if I show you an Elskiltuna SSA razor that came with it for comparison





Both together makes it quite obvious






The heel on the Boker is allowing the stabilizer to get in the way of proper honing, it needs to be re-contoured so that the edge is standing proud to the hone just like the SSA is doing ... The worst part is the more honing that is done before the heel is fixed actually makes the issue worse, and you can see the beginnings of a heel hook forming already... Off to the DMT 325 to take that out

This might help you it might help others,, Good Luck on yours



edit:

Before I get accused of Boker Bashing
I am not doing that, here is another Boker I honed last night with a nicely done heel...
Simply pointing out potential problems


Attachment 213994

Nice post Glen, another reason I hate stabilizers these days. Shoulderless for me thankyou.

Here are the pic of my Boker...you can see where the power wheel did the grinding.

That SR have less than 10 shaves since it left the factory.

The honer that used the power wheel has a streep shop that has been in business for close to 100 years. He has a good reputation that is why I am very surprised of the results.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I saw your thread title and for a second thought you were the guy that sent me this Boker to hone, since he also couldn't get it to shave quite as well as his other razors... Then I saw you were from Spain and not Boise Idaho

I do NOT know if yours has the same issue but I have seen several like this


Can you see the issue with the Boker ???





Here maybe if I show you an Elskiltuna SSA razor that came with it for comparison





Both together makes it quite obvious






The heel on the Boker is allowing the stabilizer to get in the way of proper honing, it needs to be re-contoured so that the edge is standing proud to the hone just like the SSA is doing ... The worst part is the more honing that is done before the heel is fixed actually makes the issue worse, and you can see the beginnings of a heel hook forming already... Off to the DMT 325 to take that out

This might help you it might help others,, Good Luck on yours



edit:

Before I get accused of Boker Bashing
I am not doing that, here is another Boker I honed last night with a nicely done heel...
Simply pointing out potential problems


Attachment 213994

Thanks for the post....I am no expert but one of the honers that worked on my Boker (the one that used stones) did not say that the stabilizers were wrong.

Today I shaved with the Wacker and the experience is truly better...it goes through my beard like butter. With the Boker I have to force it.

No expert here and it may be just the lighting in the photo but to me the bevel looks a mile wide and never got to the actual edge. Looks different from a factory new Boker https://www.boker.de/us/straight-razor/140512.html .

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

No expert here and it may be just the lighting in the photo but to me the bevel looks a mile wide and never got to the actual edge. Looks different from a factory new Boker https://www.boker.de/us/straight-razor/140512.html .

Bob

Agree 100%. It looks like he actually ground into the shoulder along with the spine and bevel. In my opinion, whoever did this to your razor owes you a replacement.

Originally Posted by Icarusflies

Here are the pic of my Boker...you can see where the power wheel did the grinding.

That SR have less than 10 shaves since it left the factory.

The honer that used the power wheel has a streep shop that has been in business for close to 100 years. He has a good reputation that is why I am very surprised of the results.

I'm speechless. Do your other razors have similar grinding affectations?