Thread: How fast can you kill an edge?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I can't understand how it would be easier to bend or break something that is smaller.
Surely less leverage can be applied to something smaller ?

Every thing that has grit will leave teeth. The smaller the teeth the more delicate they are. The more refined an edge the more delicate it will be.

Originally Posted by bill3152

Every thing that has grit will leave teeth. The smaller the teeth the more delicate they are. The more refined an edge the more delicate it will be.

Absolutely right! And this is also useful in understanding the higher the grit of hone, the more delicate the edge will be. In other words, a razor honed in a super fine grit will lose its edge faster than a razor honed with a "reasonably" low grit.

Do you use a strop before shaving, sorry if I sound patronising, not meant to be, but you don't say that you do?

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Do you use a strop before shaving, sorry if I sound patronising, not meant to be, but you don't say that you do?

I always use a strop before shaving and before each pass. Stropping is very important in keeping edge efficiency also delaying honing or chromium oxide treatment.

Originally Posted by razorguy

I always use a strop before shaving and before each pass. Stropping is very important in keeping edge efficiency also delaying honing or chromium oxide treatment.

Before each pass, that's pretty full on isn't it?

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Before each pass, that's pretty full on isn't it?

Yes, it is, but I can tell the difference when I don't do that.

I would dull the edge very slightly on the side of a glass. Do 50 circles 20 laps 20 x strokes, as many sets to get the blade sharp heel to toe. You might ne doing this a while. Then 20 circles 20 laps 20 x strokes on the 8k. You should be good after that. Make sure the entire edge catches the top of the thumbnail on the 4k. It may sound a little drastic but thats what I would do. If you have a 1k you could use that.

Originally Posted by bill3152

Every thing that has grit will leave teeth. The smaller the teeth the more delicate they are. The more refined an edge the more delicate it will be.

Originally Posted by razorguy

Absolutely right! And this is also useful in understanding the higher the grit of hone, the more delicate the edge will be. In other words, a razor honed in a super fine grit will lose its edge faster than a razor honed with a "reasonably" low grit.

Just want to clarify here...

What you guys are saying as I understand it,,, is that an 8k (or equivalent) edge will outlast a 12k + (or equivalent) edge ????? or say a J-nat or Gokumyo 20k or a Shapton 30k



Apologies to the OP, but this I gotta hear


Prep and proper shaving angles keep edges lasting longer

Stropping comes in two stages when learning

Stage 1 = Do no harm, you are just trying to not destroy the edge

Stage 2 = Edge improvement, where you actually learn to strop the edge into a better state than when you start,

It takes quite a bit of practice to move from stage 1 to stage 2

[QUOTE=gssixgun;1179957]Just want to clarify here...

What you guys are saying as I understand it,,, is that an 8k (or equivalent) edge will outlast a 12k + (or equivalent) edge ????? say a J-nat or Gokuyama 20k or a Shapton 30k

I think that what is being said is:
A finer edge will by definition be more delicate, and will therefore loose its comparative sharpness quicker, though I would have thought it would get down to the 8 k equivalent sharpness after the blade sharpened to 8 k was no longer 8k.
How long does a 30k edge really last? As soon as hair touches it it will presumably start deteriorating, where is the point of diminishing returns. I am not by a long shot a sharpenist this is just my take on the logic being used

[QUOTE=edhewitt;1179958]

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Just want to clarify here...

What you guys are saying as I understand it,,, is that an 8k (or equivalent) edge will outlast a 12k + (or equivalent) edge ????? or say a J-nat or Gokumyo 20k or a Shapton 30k

I think that what is being said is:
A finer edge will by definition be more delicate, and will therefore loose its comparative sharpness quicker, though I would have thought it would get down to the 8 k equivalent sharpness after the blade sharpened to 8 k was no longer 8k.
How long does a 30k edge really last? As soon as hair touches it it will presumably start deteriorating, where is the point of diminishing returns. I am not by a long shot a sharpenist this is just my take on the logic being used

Simplify...

Razor honed to Med high grit lasts X shaves

Razor honed to Higher grit lasts Y shaves


Theories and Logic are fun for discussions, But would rather hear the facts on this one..

Note that I am not even tossing in the Comfort issue on this, just talking pure "durability" and "longevity" of the edge