Thread: Newly Dull

I just wanted to thank everyone on here for the great help.I have been reading and shaving, with a straight razor, for 2 1/2 months now. Ijust wanted to say that today I deemed my razor dull, during this morning shave.Thankfully I have a new razor coming my way, and can't wait to get my current razor shipped off to have it tuned up.
Ryan.

I suggest sending it to Lynn, he is the honemaster. Mannah also does an excellent job though, being is Israel is problematic.

Concur with sending it out to a honemaster. But do pick up a Norton 4K/8K and start practicing yourself. gssixgun has many excellent videos on youtube that should give you great tips on starting out.

Hate to burst your bubble, but after 30 shaves there is no way you need to go to the Nortons. You can refresh the edge with a barber's hone, chromium oxide, or a bunch of other high grit stuff. If you keep the edg e up you may not have to go to the Nortons for years.

Originally Posted by TheFlyFishingGuy

Hate to burst your bubble, but after 30 shaves there is no way you need to go to the Nortons. You can refresh the edge with a barber's hone, chromium oxide, or a bunch of other high grit stuff. If you keep the edg e up you may not have to go to the Nortons for years.

Where do you get the 30 shaves from? I see 2.5 months, that could mean 75 shaves....

I would say someone just starting out is much more likely to dull an edge, not having the stropping totally down ect...
10-20 laps on a 8k Norton may be all that's needed though.

Originally Posted by TheFlyFishingGuy

Hate to burst your bubble, but after 30 shaves there is no way you need to go to the Nortons. You can refresh the edge with a barber's hone, chromium oxide, or a bunch of other high grit stuff. If you keep the edg e up you may not have to go to the Nortons for years.

A lot of assuming going on here. You don't know how dull his blade really is so you don't know what it will take to bring it back. Since he is going to send it out anyway it's all elementary. Once he is ready to do some refreshing and honing then we'll have a better idea and so will he.

I agree with TheFlyFishingGuy. Before you spring for a Norton 4k/8k get a balsa wood strop or a second hand leather strop and apply some Chromium Oxide paste to either. Then refresh the edge of your blade.

A properly honed and maintained straight razor ought to stay sharp longer than 21/2 months imho.

I concur that you probably don't need to send it out for a professional honing. Use a paste strop or a barber's hone and that will bring it right back. I just use a little $20 barber hone to freshen the edge, 6 passes only, and it is as good as new (almost).

As to where I believe I am getting the stroping down would that be a better choice than a hone at this point in time?

Since you know how to strop, thus you are familiar, try a paste strop. Maybe someone else can fill you in on that technique since I don't use one. I only use the barber's hone, mostly because a local barber could get me one cheap; $20.