My straight edge is not shaving as close as a typical double edge shave. I am a newbie at straight edging but I can tell that the blade could be sharper. It's a gift from my in-laws who purchased from Larry and WhippedDog, so I know it was sharp snd done right. I have used it maybe 25 times so I shouldn't need a complete rehoning. Should I purchase a 10k or 12k whetstone to hone the edge? Any ideas! BTW, yes I strop before every shave. Thanks for any feedback!
Improper stropping can dull an edge. Send it out to be honed OR you could get a balsa block with Crox OR a 12k stone OR a pasted strop with diamond or Crox. If your using pressure on the strop, a pasted strop may not bring your edge back. Weight of the blade suffices when stropping.
Could be your stropping technique. I roled the edge (poor stropping) on my first str8 from Glen. He graciously rehoned if for me, no cost, and with improved technique I've had no issues.
I am sure that is the problem then guys, thanks for your input. I will try a balsa block or 12k stone first. If that doesn't work, re-hone it is. Live and learn, I will be gentle next time.
Straight razors only work well when they are properly honed and stropped, and it takes a lot of practice to get good at this. You also need a good strop (bull hide is the best), and take very good care of both the razor, and the strop. It is a labor of love, for sure....
Start with 8 to 10 no pressure laps. I have always done groups of 10 until I was happy. It depends on how far gone your edge may be. You can also try 10 laps with one layer of tape on the spine.
Paddle strops are an excellent, near-fool proof method to help improve one's stropping technique (fewer moving pieces!). I'm not a big fan of balsa wood (ideal for knives, a bit harsh for razors edge) and prefer to use hard wool felt for pastes. Check Etsy, Amazon, or get a pad from SRD and mount it yourself.
