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Let me ask a question while we’re at it: sending straights out for honing vs doing it yourself: where do you fall, and why?
I don’t really have much experience with straights or honing them. I have learned a lot about knife sharpening from the science of sharp blog and it appears he did a razor write up. https://scienceofsharp.com/2016/04/14/simple-straight-razor-honing/
Todd at Science of Sharp mostly did razor sharpening for his early posts. In the last few years he branched into analyzing some of the supersteels used in knives.
Great resource!
Yeah, that’s a great resource to get started, I used it too.
I hone my own. My edges are not on par with pro edges I’ve used but I’m often a few weeks between shaves and I like it a little forgiving on the flesh. I’m not too fussed about billiard ball smooth
I only ever sent one razor out for sharpening, it was for some comedy level sharp from someone using Ken Schwartz sub-micron sprays. Glad I tried it, not for me.
In the first few years I bought maybe ten or more cheap vintage razors from people who seemed to know what they were doing, was a nice way to try different blades and edges.
That brought a chuckle. Ken is no longer with us, but I had many a phone conversation with him about sharpening and about his products. I liked Ken’s enthusiasm for freehand sharpening and for making different abrasive products available. We did not always agree so some of those conversations were heated. I don’t have any of his sprays but I do have a bunch of CBN and polycrystalline diamond powder (PDP) emulsions. I use them, but agree wholeheartedly that you can do without them.
I did the same, and it gave me the assurance that the blades I hone feel just as sharp and pleasant.
My aim is to be able to maintain the edge myself, but I don’t want to get into bevel-setting and razor restauration myself.
I have noone local at hand who could hone my razors for me, and I don’t really want to entrust a straight razor to the postal service.
I think I fall in between. Setting a bevel doesn’t scare me, but I don’t have the bandwidth to start restoring old blades. That being said, I have a bunch of scales and a couple blades I planned to fit them on, but I never seem to find the time 🙂.
Eh, that’s what insurance is for IMO
Heads up: posted to the WQ thread instead of the SOTD thread.
Thanks!
You know my answer. I enjoy doing it myself.
For someone who is interested and willing to put up with some trial and error, razor edge maintenance is a very approachable skill.
Learning how to properly set a bevel and how to deal with geometry issues takes a lot more time, but people have been shaping tools and weapons by rubbing metal on rocks for a very long time. Most folks can do this.
For someone getting into straights, I suggest getting a pro edge to start with. Unfortunately, many shave-ready edges aren’t.
And for someone who doesn’t want to hone or doesn’t have the time, I suggest using a pasted strop every 15 shaves (or so). Assuming your stropping technique is reasonable, this will significantly extend your edge refresh interval.
Yeah, this is important advice. I never felt sure my blades were sharp until I had blades honed by Ralf Aust and Brad Maggard to compare to (and later yours, too!)