is my straight sharp?

[Greg24]

So here is what happened, I bought my first straight about a month ago along with a professional honing service. when I received the razor there were 2 very small chips in the blade, so I sent it back to the mail-order shop I bought it from. a few weeks later I got the razor back with a nasty note saying they had re-honed it and not to damage and send it back again. (I understand where they were coming from but was still a little upset from the accusation) anyway my real question is now I have shaved with it a few times and all thou my form has gotten a little better my first pass is always especially painful, like the razor is ripping the hair out of my face rather then cutting it. in all of your opinion is my razor sharp? is it possible whoever honed it did a substandard job because they were peeved at what they thought was neglect? I’ve read that a keen edge should feel like "a warm knife through butter" but right now I feel like I am shaving with a hunting knife! if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it. at this point I have put about $200 into my setup and I am beginning to wonder if it was all for nothing.
thanks so much everyone!

[Ltltony]

Are you stropping it?

[Greg24]

yes i got a strop from tony, i have been stroping it 20 strokes before each shave. except for my first shave which was the same as all of the latter.

[Thebigspendur]

The first problem is that unless the person who worked on it was a known honemeister they probably messed up the edge. The chips would seem to indicate that. Most knife shops and knife experts will tell you they can hone a straight however the two are radically different and most knife honers really don't have clue. If you can see the chips with the naked eye you should not be using that razor period. You will have to hone them out and that's not a job for a beginner. Find someone here to do it or over at SRP. Also remember that straight shaving is a skill that takes time to acquire, time meaning months.

[iron maiden]

The first problem is that unless the person who worked on it was a known honemeister they probably messed up the edge. The chips would seem to indicate that. Most knife shops and knife experts will tell you they can hone a straight however the two are radically different and most knife honers really don't have clue. If you can see the chips with the naked eye you should not be using that razor period. You will have to hone them out and that's not a job for a beginner. Find someone here to do it or over at SRP. Also remember that straight shaving is a skill that takes time to acquire, time meaning months.

...or even years:wink:

[Greg24]

it was origionally honed by Lynn Abrams who i have heard nothing but great comments about. As for the second time around im not sure who did the work.

[billyjeff2]

Lynn's the man when it comes to honing, so the original honing should not be the issue. When I first started I was convinced my razors weren't sharp enough, too. After further practice I realized it was my technique that needed to be "honed". Keep at it and I'll bet your razor magically becomes sharper as your skills improve....

[Greg24]

So my next Question i guess is can improper stropping technique make the razor tug like hell?

[joel]

Well, I'll cause a big fecal storm - but hey - whatever.... I've cleaned up a lot of Lynn's work lately - and it may be the honing. Dozens of well known, and respected members here have sent me razors honed from him - that were not even remotely close to shave ready, or even had a bevel established.

I've bought razors from Lynn - and I know he has the ability to hone arguably better than anyone else out there (myself included) but something hinky is going on with some of the razors being "honed" by him, period.

[professorchaos]

Lynn's the man when it comes to honing, so the original honing should not be the issue. When I first started I was convinced my razors weren't sharp enough, too. After further practice I realized it was my technique that needed to be "honed". Keep at it and I'll bet your razor magically becomes sharper as your skills improve....

Lynn is the man when it comes to honing, no doubt about it. I can get my razors shave ready, but a blade honed by him is in a league if its own.

[jnich67]

So here is what happened, I bought my first straight about a month ago along with a professional honing service. when I received the razor there were 2 very small chips in the blade, so I sent it back to the mail-order shop I bought it from. a few weeks later I got the razor back with a nasty note saying they had re-honed it and not to damage and send it back again. (I understand where they were coming from but was still a little upset from the accusation) anyway my real question is now I have shaved with it a few times and all thou my form has gotten a little better my first pass is always especially painful, like the razor is ripping the hair out of my face rather then cutting it. in all of your opinion is my razor sharp? is it possible whoever honed it did a substandard job because they were peeved at what they thought was neglect? I’ve read that a keen edge should feel like "a warm knife through butter" but right now I feel like I am shaving with a hunting knife! if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it. at this point I have put about $200 into my setup and I am beginning to wonder if it was all for nothing.
thanks so much everyone!


It is, once you learn how to shave. Its hard to say whether its the honing, your technique, your stropping, etc. I think its a good idea to have a pasted paddle strop for touch ups.

Jordan

[Daves]

I have been using a str8 for about 3 months now. Two of my str8s were honed by Lynn and the other two by myself. I think I did a good job on the two I did.
However, when I shave with any of them, I don't get the sensation of a hot knife. Rather it's more like a popping sound as each hair is cut. I have a tough beard but in 4 passes I have a BBS shave.

I have a Tony Miller 4 sided paddle strop. This has truly been a worthwhile investment. It's great for touchups.

DaveS

[bonusmarple]

I had my straight honed by Lynn. After a few rough shaves, I attempted to do some touch-up myself. The shaves got better, but were still not great. Sent the razor to Joel and the shaves are much better. The razor is doing its part, I just need to learn mine. I don't know what is going on with Lynn, maybe the demand is going through the roof and he has retained a few assistants. Who knows, but it sounds like I am not the only one who has had this experience.

[minstrel]

Just my 2 cents:

I find that when I have honed and stropped a razor well, the edge cuts through the beard with little or no resistance. There is no tugging at all, and it just feels like you're using a "butter knife" to gently scrape away the lather, leaving your face smooth and whiskerless.

However, a couple of days ago I tried using a hanging strop (got one from Wojtec, or whatever his name is - the guy who sells the Wapienica razors on eBay) on my Hugo Rader 11/16 straight, and when I shaved with it, I got a lot of tugging. So I brought out the home-made paddle strop I've been using before, and after 30 laps on that one, the razor cut smoothly again. So yes, stropping can make a difference. I think my technique with the hanging strop may be at fault, or else it's the quality of the hanging strop, who knows?

/Nicholas

[2Sharp]

yes i got a strop from tony, i have been stroping it 20 strokes before each shave. except for my first shave which was the same as all of the latter.

I think you could use more strokes on your hanging strop. I suggest using 50 before each shave.

bj

[AFDavis11]

Greg~ why not send it to someone nearby for an evaluation? I'm in VA. I could evaluate it and even hone it up if need be.

[SharpShvr]

Well, I'll cause a big fecal storm - but hey - whatever.... I've cleaned up a lot of Lynn's work lately - and it may be the honing. Dozens of well known, and respected members here have sent me razors honed from him - that were not even remotely close to shave ready, or even had a bevel established.

I've bought razors from Lynn - and I know he has the ability to hone arguably better than anyone else out there (myself included) but something hinky is going on with some of the razors being "honed" by him, period.

I hear that Lynn has been cleaning up Joel's work for a long time and has never said anything. I guess we know who the gentleman is in this environment and who is trying to be who he is not. Lynn has always been willing to rehone a razor for free even when someone has messed it up. I have printed this post so that when it is deleted, the other forums will be able to see it. Ooooops, am I banned now????

SS.

[joel]

I hear that Lynn has been cleaning up Joel's work for a long time and has never said anything. I guess we know who the gentleman is in this environment and who is trying to be who he is not. Lynn has always been willing to rehone a razor for free even when someone has messed it up. I have printed this post so that when it is deleted, the other forums will be able to see it. Ooooops, am I banned now????

SS.

Wow - I.P. Address 76.189.80.42 - same as only one other user from this forum.... Lynn.

Grow up old man, and stop sending me angry/childish emails insulting me with foul language.

I'll be re-honing Greg's razor, and putting an actual shave worthy edge on it for him btw - and I invite him to share his NEW experience with straight shaving once he receives a blade that's well.... sharp enough :rolleyes:

Throw insults at me all you'd like Lynn, but I sign all my posts with my name and don't hide behind bogus accounts (ALL the mods here can/have done an IP search and know it's you) - and the proof is in the pudding..... when fellas get a razor from you, they have problems.... when they send it to me - it gets back to them "magically fixed."

You might want to check out THIS (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=347387#post347387).

[mparker762]

I love the smell of burning sock-puppet in the morning...

[FloppyShoes]

I deplore people who lack the cojones to put their name behind what they say. If that really was Lynn's post, he just lost my respect. I can understand him perhaps not doing a perfect job on a few razors, but standing up to accusations by posting on with an anonymous account in the style of "I know you are but what am I?" That's plain lame.

On to the subject of the thread, I feel getting a second opinion is a great idea. The best judge of a razor is an experienced shaver/honer.

[Shane27]

Wow - I.P. Address 76.189.80.42 - same as only one other user from this forum.... Lynn.

Grow up old man, and stop sending me angry/childish emails insulting me with foul language.

I'll be re-honing Greg's razor, and putting an actual shave worthy edge on it for him btw - and I invite him to share his NEW experience with straight shaving once he receives a blade that's well.... sharp enough :rolleyes:

Throw insults at me all you'd like Lynn, but I sign all my posts with my name and don't hide behind bogus accounts (ALL the mods here can/have done an IP search and know it's you) - and the proof is in the pudding..... when fellas get a razor from you, they have problems.... when they send it to me - it gets back to them "magically fixed."

You might want to check out THIS (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=347387#post347387).


Ouch somebody got BUSTED hahahaha

[crankymoose]

yeah it is pretty sad.

When I started straight razor shaving over a year now I sent one to Lynn via Classic Shaving to be honed for a bench mark, I shaved once with it before I sent it and not again with a straight until I got it back. I was very unimpressed with the honing put on it but figured it was just me being a newb to straight razor shaving and it must have been my technique it almost turned me against straight razor shaving after reading how smooth it was suppose to be. To ask anyone on any message board about it and they find out Lynn did the honing well it couldn't be the razor had to be my technique, well I am sure my technique wasn't prefect but neither was the honing.

Fortunately I did some research and picked up some quality products and know I can now do better then that and have been for quite some time.

I have since purchased a few razors that were honed professionally and were shave ready, what a major difference :w00t:

I agonized over posting this as I generally see no purpose in posting negative comments as most things on these boards are a ymmv type of thing, but I have been reading these boards for over a year now and while this may be one of the few threads to name who did the poor honing there has been several threads mostly from new straight shavers who purchased a straight from Classic and had it honed and were unhappy so it was obvious who did the honing.

Since the main purpose we are here is to help each other for a better shave is why I am posting this, don't rely on someones reputation that they are giving or selling you a good product no matter who they are if it doesn't feel or seem right chances are it is not, get someone else to help you whether you just started shaving or not.

[jlander]

...SNIP...

Since the main purpose we are here is to help each other for a better shave is why I am posting this, don't rely on someones reputation that they are giving or selling you a good product no matter who they are if it doesn't feel or seem right chances are it is not, get someone else to help you whether you just started shaving or not.

Very good advice. The reputation is a recommendation, but not necessarily a guarantee. If it ain't right, it ain't right.

[Bill S]

Absolutely. This is a very common early problem. If you happen to roll the edge, it doesn't matter who honed it you will not get a good shave because the original edge is gone.


So my next Question i guess is can improper stropping technique make the razor tug like hell?

[Padron]

Hmmm,

I have had quite a few razors honed by Lynn and they all shaved me very well, perhaps someone rolled their edges stropping?

[Isaac]

Hmmm,

I have had quite a few razors honed by Lynn and they all shaved me very well, perhaps someone rolled their edges stropping?

+1 I havent had a problem yet and great service by him.

[papasmurf]

although I have tried to stay out of this one I must say . I have tested a few razors that have been honed by Lynn and I can only say one thing about them . Each razor that I tried was extremely sharp and did a great job shaving . I have also have used razors honed by Joel and I can say the same thing is true with Joel's honing I would rather not make this thread into more of a pissing contest then it seems to be becoming . I am sure when you hone as many razors as Lynn does a every day some may slip and not be as sharp as they should but also as many know a newbie can do lots of damage to a razors edge when they strop a razor for the first time .





Nick

[Isaac]

although I have tried to stay out of this one I must say . I have tested a few razors that have been honed by Lynn and I can only say one thing about them . Each razor that I tried was extremely sharp and did a great job shaving . I have also has razors honed by Joel and I can say the same thing is true with Joel's honing I would rather not make this thread into more of a pissing contest then it seems to be becoming . I am sure when you hone as many razors as Lynn does a every day some may slip and not be as sharp as they should but also as many know a newbie can do lots of damage to a razors edge when they strop a razor for the first time .





Nick

I agree....alot can happen using that strop...

[gglockner]

I am always afraid that someone will slam my honing skills because they didn't get the shave that I did. I always shave at least once or twice and my whole face at that. Not just one pass or one side. That said I would bet Lynn could probably hone a razor and not even need to test shave with it. So what is the problem? For me it was my technique and stropping skills in that order. No one is going to get it right the first time. Even a razor that shaves me well may not shave someone else the way they expect it to. Some razors are better and yes some need a bit more attention than others. So lets keep this site a Gentleman's site and go on to the next subject.

Glen

[Bill S]

I think it should be pointed out that as the number of razors honed goes up (particularly for use by those unfamiliar with straights) so does the likelihood that a few people may be disappointed with the results. That disappointment can be the result of unreasonable expectations as much as anything else. We are probably all guilty of some hyperbole when describing a shave with a new or favorite razor. This could certainly cause a new straight shaver to expect something that no razor could provide.

The newbie errors that can bugger a fresh blade, or cause a poor shave are well documented, so I won't repeat them. And, of course, Lynn (as are almost all of the Honemeisters :smile:) is human and therefore subject to an occasional off day. As far as I know, most of the guys honing, and this most definitely goes for Lynn, stand behind their work. Have a problem, send it back with a request for re-work.

I have several Lynn honed razors. I have had absolutely no problems with any of them, nor do I expect to in the future. I will add that I am disappointed by a couple of the posts in this thread because I believe they are overly negative simply for the sake of being controversial or to advance some separate agenda.

[jlander]

I have razors honed by most of the well known honemeisters, and they are all very well done. I learned at the beginning to take a newly honed razor and shave with it out of the box before I took it to the strop. That way it is easy to see if my technique hurt the edge. I agree with most of what has been said here, but lets listen to Pappasmurf and not turn this into a "my dad's better than your dad" trash fest. I do not know of ANYONE that produces a perfect product every time if they are handling lots of product. That being said, if you mess up don't try to make it everyone else's mistake. I don't hone razors for anyone but myself but I have done woodwork for others in the past and have made goofs that I missed. It was MY mistake. I fixed them and apologized. I fixed the ones that were not my mistake as well. That's business.

[joel]

Well, I'll cause a big fecal storm - but hey - whatever.... I've cleaned up a lot of Lynn's work lately - and it may be the honing. Dozens of well known, and respected members here have sent me razors honed from him - that were not even remotely close to shave ready, or even had a bevel established.

I've bought razors from Lynn - and I know he has the ability to hone arguably better than anyone else out there (myself included) but something hinky is going on with some of the razors being "honed" by him, period.

Please re-read my original statement. I am in no way, shape or form stating I can/do/or am able to hone a razor as good or better than Lynn.

What am I saying? I am saying I am getting a lot of razors from WELL KNOWN and WELL RESPECTED members of our community, who have experience shaving with straight razors - and they have received razors from myself - and others "pre-honed" which means they know what a shave sharp razor is, and they are skilled - so they're not rolling their edges.

1/2 of the fellas who purchased the Dovo Tortoise razors from me that I used with the Dovo 8 ways test (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=29575) purchased other razors from Vintage and/or Classic shaving and had the "honing service" performed - and simply couldn't use the razor. Seeing as how I had sent them their first razor and knew it was sharp, and they had used it for weeks - I fail to believe it's their fault - and cast the onus on them.

Again - I can't state this enough.... read my post quoted above that started this. I am not saying Lynn can't hone (I have purchased/traded quite a few razors with/from him) and I know he is outstanding - but I also know something hinky has been going on lately, and a lot of the razors that have been "honed" by him are showing up to doors dull - period.

I understand many of you have razors from him that you think are great/sharp - I do too, but there are also many fellas out there who have some that aren't great/sharp - and immediately putting the blame on them isn't reasonable, nor is Lynn creating a bogus account (that any moderator can verify - feel free to contact any moderator you feel comfortable with) as a "sock puppet" to try to act in an immature, and ungentlemanly manner.

If you'd like to know the truth - I contacted Lynn months ago and let him know a lot of fellas (non-newbies) were sending me razors he had honed which were dull as hell - and they'd bought razors from me in the past, so I knew it wasn't them rolling the edge. I thought maybe some retailers were sending out unhoned blades on accident, and I wanted to give him a heads up - or suggest he look into it. I said about a dozen times in the message that I know he is outstanding at honing as I have razors from him he's honed which were great - so I wasn't blaming him, but that it is his reputation that goes out when razors are sent out "honed" by him, and that something weird was up, and I wanted to alert him. He freaked out - insinuated I was a homosexual (I have screenshots of the pm's - and they were posted to the moderators in the mod forum - so they've all seen it) and proceeded to go on a rampage sending me a plethora of obscene messages.

This is no pissing match, this is no tar and feather escapade - this is simply fact, and I feel it necessary to refute some of the above comments (RE: blaming it on newbies rolling the edges) as that simply is not the case. I've received a ton of PM's from fellas who hone a lot of razors for members of SMF, SRP and B&B - and they've all stated they've had the same issues lately. A year ago getting a razor with a "Lynn honing job" was a sure bet of perfection, and frankly, now it just isn't. Most aren't comfortable coming forward stating they had problems/issues with a Lynn honed razor - as they are immediately bashed and blamed - but at you can tell by others piping up in this thread - there are knowledgeable and experienced individuals having issues.

If someone has a problem with an edge I put on a razor (and wasn't a "sock puppet" phony account) and stated such, I would respect their experience, and immediately apologize, request the razor back to re-hone - and refund them their money.

Shaving forums exist to help, support and encourage - not to attack, and berate. We're here as a group to HELP and to educate, and to support. If ANYONE has a problem or issue, they should be comfortable voicing it, and in an ideal environment - get assistance. This gentleman posted he had a problem and thought it may be the honing.... all I am stating - is it may be, and we shouldn't immediately and idly dismiss it as "his" fault. Stropping isn't that difficult, and rolling an edge to the point of an amazing edge being rendered worthless is actually not as easy to do as you'd think. Try and do 30 really crappy strops on one of your incredibly sharp razors, and I bet you will barely notice a difference.

Sorry for the rant - but I felt it needed to be aired.

[Grigio]

Well said Joel.

[netsurfr]

yes i got a strop from tony, i have been stroping it 20 strokes before each shave. except for my first shave which was the same as all of the latter.

Are you keeping your strop tight and maintaining a light touch? You can roll the edge if you are not careful.

[cityjim]

Are you keeping your strop tight and maintaining a light touch? You can roll the edge if you are not careful.

You sure can. And all those videos on Youtube with the speed stroppers on it..... They think that stropping is some race or something. Slapping the blade down on the strop whipping the heck out of the leather. Ususally it's the guys you hear do 200 passes on their strop. :blink:

cityjim

[mainaman]

...or even years:wink:
man if you have to spend years to learn how to shave with a straight , you are better off with a cartridge , it will save you a lot of blood and bandaids :tongue_sm

[life2short1971]

You do realize this thread is ancient right?

[Slash McCoy]

Wow... it sure is old! Was it a good thing to dust it off and re-air an old argument? Well, maybe it will serve as a warning to wannabe puppeteers not to let "Mr. Hat" post from the home or the office computer!

Personally, I get too much enjoyment out of honing my own razors to ever send one out, even if my edges are only, at best, wicked sharp and not impossibly magically insanely sharp. I have bought a couple of shave-ready vintage blades that I was impressed by, but I still like to do it myself.

[HappyPeter]

Hi, I'm having a similar problem. I know this thread is ancient but if anyone has any advice it would be gladly appreciated. I know a good razor should shave like a knife through butter but when I use mine it just scratches and goes over the hairs without cutting them. I have good shaving foam at the right consistancy and I'm pretty sure that I havent rolled the blade or anything, my hair is soft too because I try to shave when I come out of the shower. I BELIEVE that the razor is sharp enough because I have rested my hand against it to test the edge and I cut myself very finely by accident.
It's uncomfortable and I just want to know if there is something wrong that I am missing. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks.

[life2short1971]

I would send the razor off to be honed professionally and then you can keep it up with just normal stropping and maybe the occasional interlude with a pasted strop will keep you going for quite a while. Then if you wish to learn honing you may do so at your own pace.