Sharpening a Singing Straight Razor

[@mediaSophia88]

Best Channel on KZbin platform. Geofatboy! Saving money and gaining knowledge one day at a time. Thanks for the video Geo fat boy!

[@matta8034]

That's a nice straight razor Geo. Combining it with a great demonstration on sharpening. Another great video Geo, take care.

[@terrym1065]

Great job Geo👍👍 Maintenance is mandatory with str8's, DIY or shipped off for professional services. This one looks nice and sharp, ready for that beard... Enjoy!

[@blueridgeboy6791]

Excellent video. I may order my first strait razor from you. Looking between a dovo and a boker.

[@nelly112nels]

Damn I wanted one of these but I wouldn't do all that to keep it sharp. I guess I'll go with those disposables straight razor that you just switch the blades

[@Shaverboy516]

Thank you Geo!

[@bobbyscalchi4013]

Thats a heavy draw on that strop of yours! I have a similar one. Its a Stamesky. Great strop lots of real estate.

[@randelrobbins1408]

I just got a Stamesky for Christmas (a little early) is yours still holding up well?

[@bobbyscalchi4013]

@@randelrobbins1408 Yeah but on one hand it's a slick draw, on the other hand I don't feel like it adds anything much to the edge. I use it as an intermediate strop in between my Illinois 827 and my ILR Latigo.

[@68Jaguar420G]

So how are you setting the angle for honing the edge. Is the spine touching the stone as well as the edge? If not how do you set and keep a constant angle?

[@geofatboy]

Lay it completely flat on the stone...

[@Letizia4813]

I watched a couple of your videos and you don't put tape on the spine to protect the metal from the stone. Sorry if I missed it but is there a reason you don't do that? You don't worry about grinding down the spine?

[@bobbyscalchi4013]

I ran into this "singing blade" issue exactly this morning while polishing and restoring and honing a Boker from ebay. I also received a Dubl Duck Golden Edge from the same previous owner. I noticed that on both blades the previous owner how they achieved this is beyond me? Unless they honed x stroke toe forward edge leading? The bevels were steeper torwards the toe and the spine was rounded in such a way it almost looked factory but I knew that wasnt so. Towards the heel the spine was thicker almost new and the bevels were very shallow. The heel held a great edge that I cut in and set on the Norton 4k but in the middle and almost to the toe spots wouldnt plink or tree top arm hair or pass the tomato skin test between 8k Norton and 12k Naniwa. So after I corrected the heel I double and tripled up tape in the dull spots on the section of bevel to the spine to touch down the acceptable angles of the bevels on the stones, then took it to the ILR hone, then balsa diamond progression stropped from .50 micron to .01 micron and nailed it. Then denim and mother's mag polished the edge, then .01 micron balsa again, then firehose and and Latigo. But yeah I definitely heard the singing/ringing on my ILR firehose strop. Oh heres another tip I figured out on my own. Rather than always lapping from swarf build up. Try wet sanding 8k and below with 1000 grit auto sand paper to clear and 12k and above with 1500 grit. Makes a small difference in the cut. Always try to detect if swarf is coming off the spine or the bevels, and look at the striations and level of polish on them. That will tell you how and why and where you are touching down. Idealy but not always possible, you want even swarf across the stone. Even swarf typically but not always indicates even geometry. But the denim and Mothers mag polish removes any foil edge also. Also stroke edge leading for however many laps until the stroke feels flat, smooth, no resistance, and "slicker" in the motion. Where you see water move evenly or squegee. Then back stroke it. Or edge trailing stroke. Ive gotten so good at this and geomery correction in 3 months and edges I couldnt get 20 years ago, that I'm confident you give me just about any razor with decent but worn bevels and spine, with no rust pits on the bevels that ill get it plinking tree topping and shaving in no time. Its become my obsession again. I've done 30 restos already and am to a point where I dont even use any microscope or magnificatio anymore. I just hold the bevels to the light, and look for any glint or foil over on the edge for very little if any glint possible if any. 😂😂😂

[@gaussmanv2]

What grit do you use on the fabric side?

[@alexjr498]

great video! I have my first straight coming and I'll try to learn something about sharpening. Wish me luck!

[@klav5930]

Awesome! was hoping for a sharpening video! You should do an arm hair giveaway to all your cult followers!! Lol

[@TheEndlessLoveatLondon]

Hello Mr. Geo , how often the sharpening of razor should be performed. Is this needed before every shave or help me to understand what should be the frequency of doing stropping and wetstonning the razor... Another question is... Is only wet stone treatment ok to keep the razor sharpe or stropping is essential to keep it sharpe? Please help by responding to this comment, Thanks in advance, looking for your valued comments

[@TheGruntski]

Over time would you be reducing the spine while sharpening the blade?

[@geofatboy]

Yes, but a very long time...

[@wolf9970]

hey Geo, I would love to see your opinion on the Kismet blades from germany, ideally in combination with a Weck razor Would be cool to see an expert shave with that

[@RealSweetTom]

I'm a safety razor guy looking for a closer shave and thinking about making the leap. Do you need to do this sharpening ritual every time?

[@austinarchibald]

Pretty much. Get a shavette instead. The closeness of a straight razor without the maintenance. Love my Kamisori Feather DX. I upgraded from Merkur Futur safety razor and won't look back.

[@PeteSteinis-ky8hg]

Seeing the metal marks on the stone, does that mean it isn’t flat ?

[@BlackCat-87]

Keep up the good work geo 💪💪💪

[@prakashnayak8316]

Great job goi

[@AlitaAvenger]

Very interesting, thanks!!

[@icecold2042]

Now your going to have to perform an arm shave, coz you can't go out looking like that!😂😂😂👊 Top man Geo.

[@markr9730]

I have an old straight razor that was in my Dad's stuff when he died. I think it must have been his father's. It's a GIESEN & FORSTHOFF, made in Solingen Germany. I've never thought about using, or even sharpening it, till now. So I have a stupid question. Does the side of the spine rest on the stone while you sharpen. Thanks. Oh yeah, it sings.

[@geofatboy]

Nice heirloom from your pops! Yes, lay the blade flat on the stone. Not on an angle like a knife...

[@nektarioskourkoulos555]

Really helpful video. I have a question, the top of knife from straight razor touch the stone?

[@simonvolsmann]

Yes that is what give you the right angle

[@bobbyscalchi4013]

Yeah i got no stand either. I just throw it right in the Nortons plastic case. I have no left arm hair left from testing all these razors this week. 😂

[@muchasgracias6976]

Nice job! Sounded like Mrs fatboy was vacuuming at the end of the video, lol. HAGS HAGD!

[@larrystreet349]

I tried this on several different razors, one was super thin , when I used synthetic motor oil on the stone all the sudden I got a far better edge so sharp it shaved my arm hair with ease !

[@jonathanfranco4116]

Wait is t that a finishing stone? I think you should have done that process, but chromium oxide first then the finishing stone then the leather strop.

[@ericbofcarsonc6720]

flat on the stone, no angle?

[@matthewwilson1226]

The angle is built into the back of the blade. With edge and spine touching you get the correct angle.

[@maurocarlosdealmeida]

Fantástico

[@geofatboy]

Gracie!

[@Khabib9-z8w]

May i confirm this straight razor doesn’t require a razor blade right?

[@Khabib9-z8w]

These kind are famous in Pakistan and made at their workshops

[@AlienFrequency]

Nice blade… but I thought we were gonna get to hear you sing, Geo.

[@jaqhass]

If you only push the blade into the a wetstone as you move it in the oposite direction where the edge is pointing (i don't mean the tip) you won't cut into or chip the stone.

[@geofatboy]

Was I cutting into the stone?

[@jaqhass]

You as an individual might not. Different people apply different pressure. Especially beginners. If they hone a knife they will kitchen knifes too and that's when it can happen. @@geofatboy​

[@MrErais]

Nice movie... only my english is bad - but that's my problem 😂 Greetings from Poland😀

[@leeknoz935]

Hello..I just sharpend my razor badly lol, its really sharp on one side lol My head can't figure out which side to sharpen lol If I pull right with my right thumb on the blade it grabs but if I pull on the left thumb it doesn't grab.. Should I just blunt it and start again?

[@mansoreaa]

Hi Geo .... ended I'm tired of this job,, Stones, water, leather , lenses to see the details ,experiences ,different opinions and advice! expensive costs!!!with this , the result is always negative!!! Unparalleled safety razor with ready , sharp and cheap DE blade!! if you prefer a folded razor the feather provides an excellent option.

[@JonBonesJones84]

That’s exactly why I hesitate to purchase a traditional straight razor. Without updated knowledge and someone standing beside me, I’m going to constantly mess up. It’s already difficult with the chefs’s knife i practice on 😂

[@bobbyscalchi4013]

Read my comment at the top about my progressions and descriptions and tests of what to look and feel for. I took a 20 year hiatus from straights because it was so damn frustrating that I couldn't shave off an Norton 8k and strop or Chrom Ox or Red Ox without it tugging or hacking my face up. I have a simpler way somewhat easier cheaper way that I learned from The Science of Sharp and Badger and Blade Guys as well as Geo and Dr.Matt. Just some small nuances involved. I've done 30 Restorations in 2 months and every one of my edges shaves pretty much the same give or take. Smooth keen and sharp. Very sharp and close to a featherette. If this guy can do it. So can you. I was just saying to Geo I don't even use magnification anymore I've gotten so good.

[@paulwin9036]

I think the idea is you already have sharpening equipment to sharpen your kitchen knives, pocket knives, camp knives, axes. Chisels, etc etc In that case, this makes more sense to do. But if not, then not.

[@hectorvillalobos5612]

I own 7 safety razors mostly Merkur, a phoenix double open comb, Fat tip piccalo, and antique Gilette & I have a classic samauri shavette and it has its place but I do enjoy the higher maintenance Dovo straight razor I recently purchased along with a whetstone & strop I bought a couple weeks before I even purchased My 1st straight razor, My only regret is that I’ve never bought anything from shave nation, Hopefully GeoFatboi has a good quality scuttle He can sell Me to finally complete My collection . If your worried About time shut up & buy an electric razor & some skin bracer by mennen… you are not in the League of Extraordinary Shavers!

[@BlackCat-87]

First

[@zenrazor659]

A lot of people think a shavette or a safety razor is better😂 And this it true fir them judt because they have never experieced a shaving with a blade honed perfectly🙄🥱 They use blades not shave ready! By the manufactures abd themself 😅💩💩

[@geofatboy]

Thanks for sharing...