Thread: Not really shure if I have a problem

I got a Wapi to learn how to hone and not to screw up my TI from classicshaving.com

I Honed/stropped it to the point when it feels just as sharp as it should be tried to shave.
On my first attempt to shave it seemed to be pulling, so I stopped and finished with another razor.
Re-honed it, re-stropped it and tried again - same thing.

Third time I just stropped it and started again. At first it seemed to be doing the same thing, but I decided to keep going.
Tried to change my strokes and angle of the blade and something strange happened.
Somewhere in a middle of my shave it stopped pulling and started
shaving almost like any other razor, it felt a bit ruff, but I ended up with a pretty good shave and no razor burn.

Not sure if this is normal. Has anything like this happened to you?

Is it a Wapi thing?

When I was first starting, that would happen occasionally as I would suddenly find the razor's optimum angle during my shave

I don't think what you described is something that only a Wapi would do

Yep either you managed to find the right angle, or perhaps it had a wire edge that gave way, and you found the real edge... You might try 2 or 3 laps back honing then about 5-10 very light laps on yer finishing hone, then strop and see what happens... Just a thought!!!!

I think you probably just took a leap in shaving skill.
Whether you learned something about honing, I'm not so sure. (only joking)

Shaving angle precision, scything motion, pressure control... all those things can add a lot to the performance of blade of given sharpness. That's why shavereadiness is such an ambiguous concept.

What's your method of honing? Edge testing? Pasted strops for finishing?
Maybe we can help figuring out what's happening with that edge, if you tell us.

best regards,

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

I think you probably just took a leap in shaving skill.
Whether you learned something about honing, I'm not so sure. (only joking)
...
What's your method of honing? Edge testing? Pasted strops for finishing?
Maybe we can help figuring out what's happening with that edge, if you tell us.

Bart.

For honing I use Norton 4000/8000, then TM strop, first linen then leather side, not pasted.
If it was just my first razor, I'd say it is all my fault, but I already restored a Boker and it shaves great, with all the same steps of honing and stropping. Then I got another str8 from one of the members here that I touched up lightly and that shaves beautify. As a reference I have a TI from classicshaving.com honed by Lynn, interestingly enough if felt somewhat similar to this Wapi before I stropped it with ~50 passes.

So I'd buy the theory about wire edge, but most likely it needs lots of stropping. I'd like to try a pasted strop, but do not want to do it on my almost new latigo from TM. Also may be being not a full hollow ground, like my other razors, it needs a different angle.

Well, your second shave will tell you more. I don't use a Norton myself, but since so many guys use something to finish the edge afterwards, I reckon that 8K side might need a lot of stropping. It's not impossible that you had the slightest bit of a wire edge, that dissipated almost immediately by shaving a couple hundreds of whiskers.
I don't know about the angle theory: cutting angles of different razors don't variate that much. I don't think the grind of a razor comes into play with the angle you need to use on your face.

Gssixgun's advice to backhone 3 laps and finish again on the 8K can't possibly hurt, so I'd go with that, if the second shave doesn't really work out as great as the first.


Slightly
All kinds of funny things happened to my razors while I was learning to hone. but mostly the opposite of what you experienced: smooth shaving edges crumbling away mid shave. But looking back now... By nature, I'm a very optimistic wishful thinker. I probably often stood in front of my mirror while test-shaving, experiencing the self fulfilling prophecy of a well honed razor, only to find reality catching up with me, with each shaving stroke. Without wanting to be offensive, maybe, just maybe, your a bit more pessimistic than me, and expected that edge not to shave well, only to find out after a few shaving strokes that you did a good job after all? I know that the mind can play funny tricks. Ever saw people firewalking on hot coals?

Bottom line, I think your doing just fine.

Have a nice day,

Bart.

Wapi's have stiffer blades, so they are a little more unforgiving when it comes to finding the correct shaving angle.

When using full hollows, I find that I can get away with using angles outside the norm and still get a fantastic shave. The full hollows tend to flex a little you see which compensates for error.

Wapi's are great for learning to hone with as they are cheap and not much of a loss financially if you screw up. Whereas I believe full hollow grind blades are better to learn to shave with. The unbalanced heavy handle also makes it more difficult for a beginner to use with regard stropping & shaving as they have a different 'feel' to them.

Originally Posted by Bart

...


Slightly
All kinds of funny things happened to my razors while I was learning to hone. but mostly the opposite of what you experienced: smooth shaving edges crumbling away mid shave. But looking back now... By nature, I'm a very optimistic wishful thinker. I probably often stood in front of my mirror while test-shaving, experiencing the self fulfilling prophecy of a well honed razor, only to find reality catching up with me, with each shaving stroke. Without wanting to be offensive, maybe, just maybe, your a bit more pessimistic than me, and expected that edge not to shave well, only to find out after a few shaving strokes that you did a good job after all? I know that the mind can play funny tricks. Ever saw people firewalking on hot coals?

Bottom line, I think your doing just fine.

Have a nice day,

Bart.

You are probably right about my pessimistic view. I'd rather be surprised then disappointed.

As in the next comment it is probably true that the WAPI blade is a bit stiffer and not as forging as a full hollow grind, plus the heavy scales make it a bit awkward to handle at first. I think I need to give it at least a couple of more tries before I start making any conclusions.

Thank you guys.

Be patient mate, it's a sloooow process.