Razor Sharpening - Instructions and Tips

• Check cutting edge
• Grind with and without material removal
• 24 hours rule
• burs
• Sharpen razor

It takes skill and practice to get a good and clean shave with the razor. In addition, however, the sharpness of the razor is crucial for a smooth and injury-free shave. When sharpening the razor there is therefore a lot to consider.

Razors need to be as sharp as possible for a clean shave. Although they are made of very high quality, and usually also very chipped, steel, they must be regularly sanded and honed ("wiped") to retain their sharpness. It is important to use the right grinding instruments. The technique of grinding is crucial. There must be no errors or damage in the cutting edge of the knife or even caused by the grinding. Therefore, we have compiled the most important tips and basic instructions for you in this article.

Newly purchased razors are pre-ground

If you buy a razor again, it's already pre-ground. That is, you can always use it immediately and use it for some time. However, it can be seen by some manufacturers that the shaving performance at the beginning is not sufficient, and the knife is not shaved clean. This is not a quality defect - all that is missing is the correct cutting angle.

Check cutting edge

If you want to be able to visually assess the achieved grinding quality and the cutting edge, it is best to use a so-called jeweler loupe with 30 - 40x magnification. This will also allow damage and burrs on the blade to be seen. Especially if you are initially unsure when grinding, this can be a good way to judge your own grinding results and to compare grinding techniques. You often get these loupes for a few euros.

Test cutting edge and sharpness

There is a simple test that helps to judge the quality of the cut and the edge. Attach the razor to the upper arm. If it is properly ground and the cutting angle is correct, you can remove the arm hairs with very light pressure and with the entire length of the cutting edge.

Whiskers are many times stronger and thicker than hair on the arms. If the hair on the arms is only removed unevenly or with repeated "scraping", there is still a lack of cutting performance. For the beard hairs, the result would be very uneven, and the risk of injury and irritation of the skin would be very high. In this case you still have to reground.

Grind with and without material removal

For razors usually very hard so-called carbon steels are used. They are also very sharp, due to the high hardness. Razors are sharpened so much that a very fine, tapered cutting edge is created (the knife needs the high steel hardness).

Over time, and after some use, this fine edge wears down and becomes dull. For this reason, a razor must be reground to restore as thin a blade as possible (the actual sharpness of the cutting edge).
However, after just a few strokes, the fine part of the blade lies around or forms slight bumps in some places. That is unavoidable and not a quality defect. The phenomenon occurs equally with every very sharp blade, even with the famous Japanese kitchen knives. A folded edge does not bring the full sharpness. The folded edge must therefore be raised again. There are so-called strops.

While sanding always removes material from the cutting edge, this does not happen while working on the strop. One should therefore use the strop over and over again and very often, but only grind a knife if it has actually palpably become blunt or if the edge has noticeable or perceptible damage ("plucking"). Grinding after each use is by no means professional, but costs far too much material and reduces the life of the knife.

24 hours rule

With very high-quality knives, the cutting edge straightens up itself within 24 hours. This can be seen well under the jeweler's loupe. After shaving, you should therefore neither grind the knife nor pull it off the strop, but leave it for the next use. Only shortly before a new use, you can then deduct the knife again thoroughly (abled).

burs

strop

The most widespread today are strops, which are permanently fixed at one point. The leather can be provided with polishing paste on one side. The blade of the razor is always placed (important!) On the strop, and always only in the direction of the blade back (never in the direction of the cutting edge!).

As a result, the folded cutting burr straightens up again and the razor regains its full sharpness. No blade material is removed. If the cutting burr is carefully set up again before every shave (24-hour rule!), Grinding can usually be avoided for a long time. This is advantageous because it significantly prolongs the life of the razor.

strop

As an alternative to the hanging strop, there are also so-called shock straps. Here the leather is stuck firmly on a wooden block. They are used in the same way as hanging belts (despite the name, nothing is encountered here).

Many prefer this type of peeling, since this does not change the geometry of the cutting edge (which is fundamentally applied by the cut), whereas this can be the case with the hanging spring. It may happen that the cutting ridge looks like a pointed arch over time rather than a wedge. That costs then cutting performance.
Strop with grinding paste

Caution should always be taken when using strops that are coated with abrasive paste. But they are comparatively rare. Here is not only an erection of the folded cutting burr, but also a material removal, if you use the occupied page!

grindstones

Most use today so-called Japanese water stones for their razor. They have a precisely defined grain size and offer a very good sanding result. A few also prefer traditional grindstones, such as the so-called Belgian chunks or the so-called Escher. In most cases, Japanese water stones are the easiest way for beginners.

Decisive is the grain of the stones

The usual Japanese grindstones for ordinary work (not for coarse tools) have a grain size between 700 and 1200. This can also be good coarse nicks from the razor grind. For fine grinding you can then use grains from about 2000, the Japanese factory standards go up to 8000er grain sizes. In practice, grit sizes in the range of 3000 - 6000 are also sufficient for fine grinding.

It is also possible to use several stones with graded grains to achieve an even cleaner result and to minimize material removal. In practice, however, this is hardly necessary.

stone holder

For the practical use of stones so-called stone holder have proven. By gripping the grindstone, one avoids slipping and can concentrate entirely on the guidance of the knife with both hands. This makes life much easier for beginners in particular but is also a valuable help for professionals.

Grind the back resting

Razors are (unlike ordinary knives) always ground with the back resting. Only then will the correct cutting angle be made and held, so that the knife has the right angle when shaving. For heavily decorated or delicate backs, you can mask off the back part before sanding, so as not to damage it. However, care should be taken here because the bond can change the grinding angle to a minimum. Masking so only where absolutely necessary.

Sharpen razor

Water the stone

Japanese boulders must be placed in water at least 10 - 15 minutes before use. Ideally, they should always be kept slightly moist during use, if you use them longer

2. Insert the stone into the stone holder

After washing, place the stone in the stone holder so that it is fixed.

3. Coarse grinding

If present, use a magnifying glass to examine the cutting edge and determine if there is any gross damage (notches, which are also often caused by a razor dropping down).

First, the coarse notches are carefully cut out (follow-up). Then the knife is placed back on the back and pulled with some moves on both sides with and against the blade. No pressure may be exerted.
Note that Japanese grindstones produce a high basic sharpness even after a few strokes, even in 1000 grit. Do not sand too much.

4. Fine grinding process

Dry the knife (most razors are NOT stainless steel!). Turn or change the stone and grind with the fine grain. Again, do not apply pressure. Check the cutting edge under the magnifying glass (if available).

5. Remove

At the end of sharpening, pass the razor a few more times over the coating or impact belt. Using also the side with the polishing paste, the highest possible sharpness is achieved. Then thoroughly dry the knife again and oil it as much as possible (to prevent rust formation).

Tips for quick readers

• Sanding only when the knife is dull
• Cutting can be corrected well with jewelery loops (30-40x magnification)
• Use strops frequently
• for coarse grinding Japanese water stones with 1000 grit
• For fine grinding grits over 3000