The Key to a smooth shave

[Seraphim]

Is not in what you finish your razor with, but rather how well you set the bevel to begin with.


I recently had a razor that felt a bit "crisp" while shaving. I tried getting away with some more laps on the 3um film followed by the pasted strop, to try and tune it up during the shave, but still it lacked a certain "something".


So, I took it back to the Shapton 1K for a while, some quick laps on the 3um film, and again the pasted strop.

Much better.


I have always observed this fact, I just wanted to throw it out to the wolves here to see what's what.

 

[buca3152]

I think bevels are crucial but smoothness is a characteristic of the finisher as well as the progression leading up to it. Ive fooled around enough to be confident in what Im saying BUT I cant speak for someone else though.
edit: Ive taken very very keen Jnat edges to a coticule for a fast round and the edge feel changes drastically.

 

[Avenolpey]

edit: Ive taken very very keen Jnat edges to a coticule for a fast round and the edge feel changes drastically.

Doesn't the feel change because the edge is going backwards from the larger garnets vs the smaller JNat flakes.

 

[Steve56]

I understand what Seraphim is saying. I think you could say it differently, that we don't always have the bevel set as well as we think we do. That's just part of it especially when trying to re-set a bevel, remove a frown, etc.

To me, the bevel he's talking about is a prerequisite for a smooth edge. Without it, the edge will never be as comfortable or perform as well. But smooth does come in good part from the nature of the finisher, just as we can tell a film edge from a coti edge from a JNat edge ...

Cheers, Steve

 

[buca3152]

Doesn't the feel change because the edge is going backwards from the larger garnets vs the smaller JNat flakes.

I think the stones have certain qualities about them that makes for the different feel etc. I can get a very close to coti shave if I pay a lot of attention and take the time on a few suitas I have. But somehow the coti edge is unique, nothing feels like a coti. Particle size may have something to do with it. But im sure thats only part of it.

 

[Proinsias]

I go back to my ~1K constantly. I don't want to be polishing those crappy bevels I was setting last week/month/year, today I am awesome.

 

[Seraphim]

OK, who am I kidding?




The real key to a smooth edge is a large and expensive set of hones....

 

[caleb31]

my opinion is irrelevant. [emoji4] #joke
everyone has a favorite i've noticed.satisfaction is literally on the face of the shaver.salute.
CAM.

 

[Brooksie967]

OK, who am I kidding?




The real key to a smooth edge is a large and expensive set of hones....

Don't be grumpy, Craig. I think that in most cases you are right and it's bevel setting that sets the tone for the edge. It's at least a very easy method of determining what's causing the problem if it's not, in fact, the problem itself. If you are positive that you can set bevels WELL and you've gone back for a 2nd round and still have issues, you know to look elsewhere, including the style of the razor itself and how you wield it when shaving.

 

[oakeshott]

Is not in what you finish your razor with, but rather how well you set the bevel to begin with.


I recently had a razor that felt a bit "crisp" while shaving. I tried getting away with some more laps on the 3um film followed by the pasted strop, to try and tune it up during the shave, but still it lacked a certain "something".


So, I took it back to the Shapton 1K for a while, some quick laps on the 3um film, and again the pasted strop.

Much better.


I have always observed this fact, I just wanted to throw it out to the wolves here to see what's what.

Won't speak for others, but this is true for me better than 90 % of the time. I have futzed around with mid grit and finishing stones to make an edge friendlier but it almost never solves the problem. Redoing the bevel nearly always does. The other 5 percent is rushing the Botan stage.

 

[totorlekiller]

OK, who am I kidding?




The real key to a smooth edge is a large and expensive set of hones....

Let's not forget an expensive looking razor preferably with a dramatic, exotic sounding brand-name and a professional grade camera to take pictures of it.

Maybe the best finishing stone is the placebo.

That would certainly be consistent with my approach of using either expensive Shapton glass stone or pretty looking gem-stones.

 

[BDF]

Well, that is step 1. Step 2 is becoming one with the stone.... strokes mean nothing, pressure means nothing, one must immerse in the stone as the wind intermingles with the reeds....

But for the rest of us, setting the bevel ain't a bad start. After that, I just put the sharpest, most foil- free edge I possibly can on a blade.... works for me.

Brian

OK, who am I kidding?




The real key to a smooth edge is a large and expensive set of hones....

 

[BDF]

I am not sure if you are talking about a razor that never quite acheived an edge you were happy with or not?

For myself, once a razor has been fully honed, I have never had to go finer than 1 micron (14K grit) to restore the edge fully. Of course I never let my razors get very far from sharp, and I do not damage them, so we are talking about razors that have a fine bevel, fully intact other than the last couple thousandths of an inch of the edge. And it does not take much stock removal to remove to fully rebuild the edge on a razor in that condition.

Brian

Won't speak for others, but this is true for me better than 90 % of the time. I have futzed around with mid grit and finishing stones to make an edge friendlier but it almost never solves the problem. Redoing the bevel nearly always does. The other 5 percent is rushing the Botan stage.

 

[Brianskeet]

The bevel has to be there and it has to be there properly. If issues show up then a new bevel set is often the cure, but once the bevel is done I find different finishes can impart very different shaving feel.

 

[Seraphim]

The bevel has to be there and it has to be there properly. If issues show up then a new bevel set is often the cure, but once the bevel is done I find different finishes can impart very different shaving feel.

Right.

But if the bevel is not set, then all the different finished will still each be lacking.

 

[buca3152]

Right.

But if the bevel is not set, then all the different finished will still each be lacking.

True, BUT a great previously shaving razor will feel different after different finishers. Same bevel and different feel. WHat causes some bad shaves besides the bevel? I will name a few, wire edges, slurry dulling, bad stropping, not removing the scratch patterns from a previous girt up the line, too hasty a progression to finish, inconsistent stroke etc etc.

edit: I always start with a bevel reset ALWAYS if I get a bad shave. So Im with you on a lot of what your saying. But IMO there are other reasons that could be to blame.

 

[Seraphim]

I'm not talking about what causes bad shaves (that damn slurry stuff sounds like a bad idea BTW....), I'm talking about what is the key to a smooth shave.

C'mon now, get with the program here, Bill!

 

[buca3152]

Slurry is the nectar of the Gods! I hear you, the bevel absolutely, but theres a slew of other things that you need to avoid. Some I mentioned as well as others. Lapped abrasive surfaces(stones or film) is another one.

 

[Doc226]

Is not in what you finish your razor with, but rather how well you set the bevel to begin with.


I recently had a razor that felt a bit "crisp" while shaving. I tried getting away with some more laps on the 3um film followed by the pasted strop, to try and tune it up during the shave, but still it lacked a certain "something".

I found your problem.

Bevel is the foundation but the finishing does impact smoothness.

For me you can have two identically set bevels, finish one on the saran wrap and the other on a JNAT and the other on film and the JNAT one feels better.

 

[Seraphim]

Slurry is the nectar of the Gods! I hear you, the bevel absolutely, but theres a slew of other things that you need to avoid. Some I mentioned as well as others. Lapped abrasive surfaces(stones or film) is another one.

Sure....

There's a whole list of things we can come up with:

Don't use your straight to spread peanut butter on toast immediately prior to shaving
Don't use your straight to open boxes in the mailroom at work
Don't use your straight to pry open a can of paint
Don't leave your straight out in the rain.....


And you were the one who said slurry could lead to dulling, not me....