The Science of Sharp Blog

Use a straight. You know it makes sense.
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Pauldog
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by Pauldog »

Possibly a dumb question, but this is an area where I know next to nothing, except a few facts I retained from elementary school, such as limestone being "softer" than quartz.

Could the grit number vs. actual "roughness" in use be related at all to the hardness of the underlying minerals? I'm guessing that a typical hone is made from a stone that's a mixture of minerals.
EL Alamein
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by EL Alamein »

drmoss_ca wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:16 am I can't believe the effective grit of a Swaty is 600! They feel as smooth as glass and you get an edge far better than from a 600 grit stone. Perhaps it's not the size of the abrasive that matters here, but the microscopic scratch pattern on the surface (just like a 2k-polished Arkansas or Spyderco UF is completely changed in character by such polishing).
Well you have a point there and I think he might agree.

The pictures he posts and the comments he makes say that grit is another story and a poor characteristic to judge a hone by. The pictures and his comments show that even though there are very large inclusions in these hones they don't protrude. This accounts for their performance being better than their judged grit rating.

He also mentions, similar to your point about the Spyderco, that lapping them makes the difference.

I still don't like them and think they should be avoided. Those inclusions are going to come loose at some point and maybe en masse if the aged binder starts to give away. And I think they will sooner or later. Probably sooner given their age.

If one gets a good one it's a crap shoot and a matter of time before it becomes a bad one IMHO. But, hey, there are many roads to Rome enjoy the one you're on.

Chris
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by brothers »

Looking back, I wonder why the Chinese 12000 aka CK12 was so effective, but getting the result generally wanted took an exhausting number of laps.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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drmoss_ca
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by drmoss_ca »

brothers wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:01 pm Looking back, I wonder why the Chinese 12000 aka CK12 was so effective, but getting the result generally wanted took an exhausting number of laps.
That's an interesting definition of 'effective'!
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
brothers
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by brothers »

drmoss_ca wrote: Wed Aug 28, 2019 2:23 am
brothers wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:01 pm Looking back, I wonder why the Chinese 12000 aka CK12 was so effective, but getting the result generally wanted took an exhausting number of laps.
That's an interesting definition of 'effective'!
:D This is the definition I used: "successful in producing a desired or intended result."
The edges it produced were wickedly sharp.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by brothers »

I would interject something that has just occurred to me. When I hone I always try to remember to add a single layer of plastic tape to the spine because hone wear is unacceptable in my book.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Sando
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by Sando »

EL Alamein wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:49 am Anybody see this?

https://scienceofsharp.wordpress.com/

It's a fascinating read with lots of electron microscope pictures.
That's a great blog. Much of it is beyond anything I'm interested in trying but I appreciate his dedication to honing. The microscope pics are incredible. What I find interesting is the polite tone in which everyone interacts. All too often, people descend into emotional outbursts over rubbing razors over rocks and leather. There appears to be a great deal of informative back and forth in the comments section.
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by brothers »

Recently, there have been several excellent posts in this forum by Chris (drmoss_ca). Reading them has awakened a craving for some opportunity to use my own straight razors. Maybe I'll post about it if it happens.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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drmoss_ca
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by drmoss_ca »

Thank you, Gary! I think you should take up those straights and have fun with them.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
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rustyblade
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by rustyblade »

This is some really deep, sink your teeth into chewy straight razor nerdery, great stuff!
Richard
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Re: The Science of Sharp Blog

Post by brothers »

I've decided to pick out some of my old razors from among those listed above, and use them at random exclusively for one or more shaves. It looks like Wednesday July 1 would be a good time to skip a month of the SE razors and blades, and spend a full month with the straight razors. I can do this, and the end result will prove, beyond any doubt, that I'll have the same whiskers getting cut down every day, and growing back that very same day. :D Thirty-one days with these wonderful razors, and I end up showing no measurable results whatsoever! I love it! :D Back to square one!
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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