Thread: Lesson In Sharpness...

So I've been pondering somthing for awhile. That is, if I travel, what am I gonna Shave with? I'm Not risking My butchers! Even my newer German Hollowground isn't somthing I'm willing to accidentally leave behind. So, though most on here hate them, I decided to buy a cheapo shavette Razor to take when I must travel. I got a magic Razor brand shavette and some blades for it.

I got home and decided i needed to shave anyway, might as well give this thing a go, that way i know what to expect. The blade goes in easy enough, and so on, so i lather up and start to shave.

And holy crap my blades are dull in comparison. It too one with the grain on my face, and only one with and one against on my neck for a perfict shave.. I guess i have to get better with my hones! Now I'm not preaching shavettes, the little bastard can knick you real good where the end of the blade and the holder meet. Theres a Gap there, and It will get you if you so much as give it a chance. BUT from this I learned i need to hone alot better. It takes me 4 wtg and 4 xtg to get my face, and my neck is usually a half hour adventure all its own.

I am preaching how much a sharp blade is worth! Just because it can shave your arm hairs dont mean its sharp enough! You really do need that hair drop test sharpness! And trust me, its alot better being sharper!!!

I suppose there is such a thing as 'too sharp'. I have yet to acheive it.

It is often said here that the only sharpness test is the shave test. Perhaps. But a razor that does not pass the hanging hair test will not give me the shave I expect.

Semper circa,
LG Roy

That is one of the reasons I only use my Parker SR1 with a Feather blade, There is nothing sharper in my opinion.

Those disposable blades have an inclusive bevel of 9 degrees or so while most straight razors have an inclusive bevel of about 13-14 degrees. Yeah, the angle of attack is steeper, but that's the reason that you throw them out after a couple shaves...because the edge just won't hold up for very long. Your straights with the larger angle of attack will last for months in comparison.

Thank you. I always wondered, what the difference in bevel angles are between feathers and reg. str8. And I use both all the time and have found you are absolutely right.

The Feather blades cost me about 25 cents each and I can get 5 shaves from each one. At a nickel a shave who cares if you throw it away ?

Originally Posted by red96ta

Those disposable blades have an inclusive bevel of 9 degrees or so while most straight razors have an inclusive bevel of about 13-14 degrees. Yeah, the angle of attack is steeper, but that's the reason that you throw them out after a couple shaves...because the edge just won't hold up for very long. Your straights with the larger angle of attack will last for months in comparison.

I need to measure the angle but
the ones I last looked at have a
triple bevel. The final micro bevel
looks about the same as a str8 bevel
to me but this is a hard thing to eyeball.

Disposable blades can be astounding and with
a Teflon coating they can shave quite well.

But angles aside modern DE and friends can be
astoundingly sharp. It takes a practiced hand
on the finishing hone and strop to match them
with a str8. One time in twenty+ I get a str8 that
is as sharp as a Feather but smoother. The
other times in I am second best or perhaps
a close second. But I keep trying and always
set out two razors should the first razor turn out
to be a poor second.

In the end it is steel .vs. whiskers!

There is no magic just attention to the fine
details in sharpening steel to make a good shaver....
Since we all have different faces what makes
for a good shave can differ.

I started out with disposable straights before going to fixed staights and this experience helped me tune my fixed straights razors to give great shaves. So it was obvious to me if the razor was performing well enough or was sharp enough.

Pabster