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Straight Razor not sharp

  • 20-04-2012 10:47pm
    #1
    Drexl Spivey
    Registered Users Posts: 528 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I wanted to try straight shaving. I got myself a dovo bismark.

    All I can see on youtube is: 'be careful with that thing etc ..." but I cannot get shaved with that thing. It is not cuting anything.

    Am I doing anything wrong or is the razor no good?

    Thx


Comments

  • #2
    hitemfrank
    Registered Users Posts: 1,908 ✭✭✭hitemfrank


    It's not that the razor is no good, it's that what Dovo claim to be sharp enough isn't.

    They leave the factory sharp but not shave sharp. It'll need to be honed.

    I'll hone it for you if you want.


  • #3
    Drakus
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Drakus


    Yeah same for me, bought a SR and strop about 6 weeks ago and still have not had a shave with it, one could argue it was not fit for purpose. To be fair I jumped in without doing any research so fault is mine, if I was buying another SR I would deffo buy it from one of the sites that offer SR honeing so when your razor arrives it is shave ready. I also bought a Dovo, the Astral but even if the razor had come shave ready I now know I will need a hone myself and have to learn how to use it. Even the honeing needs carefull consideration. Do I get one combi or do I need a combi(4/8k) and a finishing stone(12k). Will I ruin my new razor trying to hone it or should Iget an old razor to practice on, ah well back to the drawing board. :confused:


  • #4
    ladhrann
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭ladhrann


    And another thing to consider is that the honing stone itself may not be level when you get it. You will need to 'true' the stone against an edge you know to be flat first.


  • #5
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Drakus wrote: »
    Yeah same for me, bought a SR and strop about 6 weeks ago and still have not had a shave with it, one could argue it was not fit for purpose.

    It's a bit like complaining that your new car is broken because there is no fuel in it. :) I would take Hitemfrank up on his very kind offer - or send it to a honing service. I recommend Straight Razor Designs if you want the best edge possible - a very reasonable $20 to have your razor honed by someone on his 10,000+ razor honing.

    http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/razor-sharpening

    To be fair I jumped in without doing any research so fault is mine, if I was buying another SR I would deffo buy it from one of the sites that offer SR honeing so when your razor arrives it is shave ready. I also bought a Dovo, the Astral but even if the razor had come shave ready I now know I will need a hone myself and have to learn how to use it.

    Once you have a decently honed razor, you can maintain an edge on your razor for months and months with a strop and a pasted board. Buy a barber hone (Swaty or similar vintage on ebay or a Chinese 12K new on ebay) for touchups.

    Even the honeing needs carefull consideration. Do I get one combi or do I need a combi(4/8k) and a finishing stone(12k). Will I ruin my new razor trying to hone it or should Iget an old razor to practice on, ah well back to the drawing board. :confused:

    Unless you plan on restoring razors you really don't need a hone in these grit ranges (4/8K). Just send it to someone who knows how to hone - and there are some surprisingly generous people on this board. (If I were still in Ireland I would offer myself) - a finishing stone in the 12K range would be best starting out just for touch ups. You can also get pressure sensitive adhesive backed abrasive films in the 12k - 50k range from 3M (check out fibre-optics supply places)

    Good luck with the straight.


  • #6
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    ladhrann wrote: »
    And another thing to consider is that the honing stone itself may not be level when you get it. You will need to 'true' the stone against an edge you know to be flat first.


    On the kitchen counter (wait til herself is out ;))- wet and dry sandpaper 240 grit through 1500 grit. 15 mins to 1 hours work.

    http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Hone_Lapping_101


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  • #7
    Drakus
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Drakus


    MadsL wrote: »
    It's a bit like complaining that your new car is broken because there is no fuel in it. :) I would take Hitemfrank up on his very kind offer - or send it to a honing service. I recommend Straight Razor Designs if you want the best edge possible - a very reasonable $20 to have your razor honed by someone on his 10,000+ razor honing.

    http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/razor-sharpening




    Once you have a decently honed razor, you can maintain an edge on your razor for months and months with a strop and a pasted board. Buy a barber hone (Swaty or similar vintage on ebay or a Chinese 12K new on ebay) for touchups.


    PS: Hitemfrank, thanks for your kind offer. I've already purchased an option to send my razor to theinvisibleedge for honeing.

    Unless you plan on restoring razors you really don't need a hone in these grit ranges (4/8K). Just send it to someone who knows how to hone - and there are some surprisingly generous people on this board. (If I were still in Ireland I would offer myself) - a finishing stone in the 12K range would be best starting out just for touch ups. You can also get pressure sensitive adhesive backed abrasive films in the 12k - 50k range from 3M (check out fibre-optics supply places)

    Good luck with the straight.

    Thanks for the great tips they are very welcome. At the moment I am a bit researched out and a lot of the stuff on the some of the forums can seem contradictory to someone new to SRS. It's great to hear I may only need one 12K stone in my arsenal. I do intend on having the razor professionally honed as a first step and if the 12K stone would suffice from there on in that would be good. What about these DMT stones ppl say you need for lapping, would this apply to the 12k stone.


  • #8
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    DMT would be total overkill. Just lap it on your kitchen counter with wet and dry. 320 grit, 600 grit will do - you could do 1200 grit if you wanted to really lap it. Your arm will be tired after 600 though. :)


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