8X3 UF Ceramic Benchstone & Straight Razor?

[jah]

After much gnashing of teeth, I finally took the plunge and bought what I thought was a "quality" straight razor (not a Spyderco though maybe Sal will see this thread and decide to make a Spyderco Razor :D ).

At any rate the razor was advertised as "ready to shave" but it most definitely was not. So searched the "net" found a PDF that explained how to sharpen it given the grind. Long story' short; After three ten minute sessions on the UF benchstone, followed by 50 hits on a leather strop, its is almost as sharp as how my Millie/Para's came delivered, but still grabs when testing dry on my arm. I have not seen much improvement from the first ten minute session, thus my question. While I am still seeing metal being left behind on the stone, I have not seen any improvement in how easily it "shaves" my arm. Rather then just keep at it the way I am sharping I figured I would ask the experts.

I am just laying the razor flat on the stone, and lightly pulling it blade first towards me, then flipping the razor over, and lightly pushing it away, blade first. The razor is a "hollowed" carbon 4/8th Thiers-Issard Petite.

Any input appreciated

Jery

[realitycheck]

Hey jah, this might be able to help you. They have an entire section dedicated to razors, and personal grooming.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forum ... .php?f=785

[FLYBYU44]

That is a awesome razor you have, that isn't the problem. I shave with a Henckels straight razor occasionally. I don't know the grit of your UF stone, but you should be honeing with a 4000 grit and finishing with at least a 8000 grit stone. Even with a 8000 grit stone it will be a little rough shaving, but it will work. I would check out www.straightrazorplace.com before you wreck your razor or something. That site is an awesome resource and everything you need to know is there. Hope it helps you out, don't give up yet. :)

[sal]

Hi Jerry,

I shaved with a straight razor for more than 10 years. I have more than a dozen razors and never found one sharp enough when new.

Your are sharpening the razor correctly. You need to "lead with the cutting edge". You will need to use a UF (ultra fine). a 10X-12X lupe is very helpful in the original sharpening. That way you can "see" the edge grow until the sharpened edge goes all the way to the edge. It does take a while to get the edge set in the original sharpening.

You shouldn't have to sharpen more than once or twice per year.

Once the edge is sharp. Strop. Many strokes the first time. "Trail with the cutting edge" You are building a burr. The stropping stroke is the opposite of the sharpening stroke.

Once the burr is stopped sharp enough to shave face hair, DO NOT EVER TOUCH THE EDGE WITH YOUR FINGER. NOTHING HARDER OR TOUGHER THAN A HAIR SHOULD EVER TOUCH THE EDGE.

You can see the burr, but it takes a 50X scope to get a good look at it.

If your edge seems to be going in the middle of a shave, go back to the strop, maybe another 50 strokes. I used to strop at least once during a shave.

sal

[gunmike1]

Great tips, Sal. This is a nice detailed description of exactly what you were talking about in the Sharpmaker video. I would like to use a strait razor, but until my 4 year old daughter gets older I can't do it as she gets into everything. I have shaved with a Manix and an Endura before just to try, and they gave a clean shave off of the ultra fine hones, though they work better after finishing on sub micron lapping film. The are quite awkward to use for shaving due to the pointy tips, but in a pinch they can get the job done.

Mike

Hi Jery,

I shaved with a straight razor for more than 10 years. I have more than a dozen razors and never found one sharp enough when new.

Your are sharpening the razor correctly. You need to "lead with the cutting edge". You will need to use a UF (ultra fine). a 10X-12X lupe is very helpful in the original sharpening. That way you can "see" the edge grow until the sharpened edge goes all the way to the edge. It does take a while to get the edge set in the original sharpening.

You shouldn't have to sharpen more than once or twice per year.

Once the edge is sharp. Strop. Many strokes the first time. "Trail with the cutting edge" You are building a burr. The stropping stroke is the opposite of the sharpening stroke.

Once the burr is stopped sharp enough to shave face hair, DO NOT EVER TOUCH THE EDGE WITH YOUR FINGER. NOTHING HARDER OR TOUGHER THAN A HAIR SHOULD EVER TOUCH THE EDGE.

You can see the burr, but it takes a 50X scope to get a good look at it.

If your edge seems to be going in the middle of a shave, go back to the strop, maybe another 50 strokes. I used to strop at least once during a shave.

sal

o

[jah]

Thanks for all the input, I will stay at it using the UF stone, and fabric/leather strop.
Sal thanks for the great knives :spyder: :D
Jerry

[Chris_H]

Hey Jerry,

I use a straight razor pretty regularly to shave. The lack of sharpness on a new razor is pretty common. While the manufacturers "whet" the edge, they don't really set a good bevel with the right level of sharpness. Your description of how you're honing is spot on -- razor flat with edge & spine touching, and edge leading. You may have to use an X-pattern to get the entire edge uniformly sharp.

I'd recommend using something coarser than the Spyderco UF to set the bevel. Something around 4K-6K will do it, and be slow enough to let you get a feel for the progression. Once you've got a uniform bevel set across the entire edge, ou can use the UF to polish it up, and smooth out the feel on your face. It may take a few sessions with the hones and a few shaves to dial it in, but it will be worth it. Sal's advice on stropping is accurate as well, of course.

[Chris_H]

Great tips, Sal. This is a nice detailed description of exactly what you were talking about in the Sharpmaker video. I would like to use a strait razor, but until my 4 year old daughter gets older I can't do it as she gets into everything. I have shaved with a Manix and an Endura before just to try, and they gave a clean shave off of the ultra fine hones, though they work better after finishing on sub micron lapping film. The are quite awkward to use for shaving due to the pointy tips, but in a pinch they can get the job done.

Mike

Mike,

If you're able to keep your knives safe from her, than I'm sure you could do the same with the razors. Just a little friendly encoragement, 'cause shaving with a straight is awesome!

[JD Spydo]

We Spyderco fans, affionados, collectors and users are really spoiled in one sense to be sure. Because Spyderco is one of the very few knife companies that sell you a cutting tool with the edge already razor sharp. A friend of mine just showed me a brand new Buck knife the other day and I was just literally appalled at how dull the knife was brand new and out of the box. But it's that way it is with most of the companies who make edged tools so your straight razor being somewhat dull from the factory doesn't surprise me much at all

I've come to this overall conclusion>> If you're going to be a user of knives, straight razors, woodworking tools and edged tools of any type that require a sharp or machined edge to work properly then you are just going to have to become knowedgable on sharpening skills. I've been a sharpening fanatic since 1997 and I'm still learning more and more about the subject each passing day. I've aquired over a dozen books on the subject and own many sharpening tools. I do encourage all of you to become proficient sharpening edged tools because an edged tool is only as good as it is sharp.

I just recently did a thread over on Bladeforums on the "Survival Skills" section. It was about "Survival Sharpening Equipment". In that thread I got feedback from many brothers and sisters about the many hardware sharpening items as well as many methods of sharpening because again I'll stress to you and others>> YOUR EDGED TOOL IS ONLY AS GOOD AS IT IS "SHARP".

Bottom Line: Learn the skill of sharpening. Personally It's one of my favorite hobbies

[sal]

Just a little friendly encoragement, 'cause shaving with a straight is awesome!

I agree with Chris. For a knife afi, learning to shave with a straight razor is a life experience worth the erffort.

Although off topic, I also recommend beekeeping as a great "learning and doing" life experience.

sal

[tkdman41]

Although off topic, I also recommend beekeeping as a great "learning and doing" life experience.

sal

And if your going to keep bees then you really do need to learn to brew beer and mead because there is no better use of honey than mead. :D

[jah]

Went ahead and broke out the Spyderco Fine benchstone, and made 4 more 50+ stroke's on the UF benchstones/strops. Finally seeing an improvement in the "grabbyness" when dry shaving my arm (which is beginning to look like I got mange :rolleyes: ), so I'm on the right track. Looked at the edge with a 30X scope, and see a consistent shiny "wedge" on the edge. I cannot see or feel a burr so will stick to it.

I agree sharpening is something I want to learn, took the first steps thanks to Sal and the Sharpmaker, and DVD. I have been practicing how to freehand, using the Spyderco benchstones, and some small Jasper stones. Freehand I have gotten some small bladed knives as sharp as Spyderco delivers their knives :D .

At any rate, I seem to be on the right track, just will stick to it until I feel a burr. Thanks for all the help.

Jerry