home Cream Which stone to sharpen a razor? Sharpening a straight razor: the art of fine forms. Which specific sharpening stones are best to choose for sharpening?

Which stone to sharpen a razor? Sharpening a straight razor: the art of fine forms. Which specific sharpening stones are best to choose for sharpening?

Synthetic stones are often used to sharpen straight razors. These stones should hold their shape moderately, not give an abundant suspension, have a uniform grain, and not have dense lumps (agglomerates). The optimal size of the whetstone for sharpening straight razors is from 50x150mm, often the sizes are about 60*180 and 70*200mm.

Japanese sharpening stones from the following manufacturers (and their series) correspond to these characteristics: Super Stone, Cerax / NewCerax,

It is highly undesirable to use the following brands of stones: HATAMOTO, NAKATOMI and Taidea for sharpening straight razors.

To correct razor geometry, repair edges and rough sharpening, use grit from #400 to #600

Further sharpening usually has the following sequence:

#1000 ⇒ #3000 ⇒ #5000 or #6000 ⇒ #8000 ⇒ #10000 , and #8000 can be omitted from this order

Often in reviews of razor sharpening there is a combined #3000/1000 and a combined #3000/8000. and universal for stainless steels and for carbon steel razors, Super Stones work great with traditional carbon steel razors.

Very often, many practitioners move on from 3000 grit stones to further finishing on natural abrasive stones: “Gusevsky” (and) and other slates, . These stones have long been considered the best for finishing razors and are often called razor stones. Some people remain committed to using synthetic abrasive stones when finishing their razors. Everyone chooses for himself those methods of sharpening and finishing, the results and speed of work with which he is most satisfied. There is an opinion that natural abrasive stones allow you to achieve a more comfortable shave than artificial ones.

Working on Arkansas blades and when finishing the razor is used quite rarely, due to the fact that cutting after Arkansas blades is too aggressive and is more suitable for knives.

The minimum set of stones for sharpening razors includes the following grits #1000 ⇒ #3000 ⇒ #8000, then a natural suitable stone or #10000 - #12000

Edge after Naniwa Super Stone with magnification X500, X2000, X3000

Do not forget that there must be stones for sharpening and finishing razors, and the finishing stones must have the appropriate roughness. There must be a radius (about 1 mm) on the edges of stones for sharpening straight razors so as not to damage the edge when applying the razor to the stone and when removing the razor from the stone. Just a slight misalignment is enough, and if there is no radius on the edge of the stone, you will get a microchip or jam that will be larger than the grain you are working on. In this case, you will have to go back a couple of steps and work with coarser abrasives to correct it.

Date of: 19.05.2016
Subject: Note N79. Review of fine abrasives using the example of sharpening razors

This material is a derivative of those plans and ideas that appeared in the summer of 2015. At that time, there were thoughts that it would be nice, using the example of the domestic Soviet razor and abrasives from the times of the USSR, to try to reproduce what great-grandfathers, grandfathers and, partly, fathers could squeeze out of dangerous razors. Of my ancestors, it is known for certain that only one, my grandfather, used a straight razor until electric razors appeared on the market. I myself remember him only with an “Era” electric razor, which was popular during my childhood and almost everyone around me shaved with such razors.

I won’t reveal anything that hasn’t already been discussed more than once or discussed in various forums. The following is just one experience of a person who became interested in sharpening and sharpening a straight razor as well. On this personal experience I was convinced of what they were already saying. But there is not always confidence in these words and you want to verify what is said personally. For this reason, there is no expectation that my experience will inspire confidence. Trust still needs to be earned. And, everyone goes their own way. But I hope that this material will help someone save time, effort, nerves and money.

During the year, several new razors from the USSR era were purchased, as well as a certain set of various abrasives, which are positioned as razors.

For example, a razor whetstone made of microcorundum.

Or such a wonderful specimen of Beloretsk quartzite, better known as belorechit.

And also a set of GOI paste. The paste was purchased brand new, but some experienced comrades competently claim that the current GOI paste is no longer the same as it was under the Soviets. I cannot confirm or refute this. But the mentioned pasta will not become the heroine of this story, for certain reasons.

The note was postponed because... At first it turned out that I decided to film it, and the idea of experiencing in my own face everything that my grandfathers experienced somehow faded into the background and was put aside. I didn’t really return to it, but I bought some abrasives, and on top of that, an impressive block of Chinese Guangxi stone appeared, on which I had high hopes.

With this arsenal and a couple of test straight razors, I went to open the 2016 summer season at the very end of April. And based on the test results, it was decided to create a small rating of finishing razor abrasives and record the results obtained.

The first to go was the Soviet touchstone for straightening razors made of microcorundum. After checking it with a metal ruler, I found a small saddle and decided to straighten it. There were no signs. I quickly trimmed it with 220 silicon carbide powder, but as soon as I switched to the 400 fraction, the fun began. Instead of polishing the surface of the whetstone, a thin, loose, spotty film began to form on it, which could be wiped off the stone by rubbing it with your finger. No matter how hard I tried, nothing good came of it. I tried 600 grinding grains of silicon carbide, the result was similar. As a result, I returned to 220 powder, which removed the “scab” perfectly, but the touch felt very rough compared to the second factory side. I tried rubbing it on sandpaper. This is where things got better. I went through 600, 1200, 1500 and then 2000 paper. The result, in general, turned out to be comparable to what was from the manufacturer, but plus or minus. Rather a minus for me. I completed the preparation with this abrasive. This was the first incomprehensible and unsuccessful experience of lapping on silicon carbide. This is what came out as a result from the side I was arguing.

And this is a factory adjustment from the manufacturer.

The instructions for the microcorundum whetstone say that it should be used with soapy water. That's what I did. First I started working on my side, the one that I had previously ground in. I worked for some time on the test razor (and it was decently sharpened and brought to an acceptable shave). I looked at the result and was horrified. The resulting risks were visible to the naked eye. I changed the side of the whetstone to the one that was factory finished. I started working on this side. The situation has improved a little, but only slightly. I concluded for myself that I would have no desire to even try to shave with such a razor. I ran the razor over the stubble once and felt all the harshness and sharpness of the shave. At this point I finished testing with the touchstone. In my rating of finishing abrasives for razors, I will give this touchstone the last fifth place.

Beloretsk quartzite came second. Such a beautiful stone, pleasant to the touch, with a Soviet blue seal. I had it for a long time and wanted to try it on a razor. Estimated the size of the stone. When I ordered and bought it, I thought it would be bigger, but it arrived just a baby. But when I put it on my palm and started sharpening the razor, I realized that I liked this shape and size. And it’s not heavy, and the razor glides over the stone very confidently.

I looked differently at this format of stones as applied to a razor, although for a long time I considered the most convenient stones to be those wider than a razor blade. There is, of course, a point for discussion here, because... If you are working with nagura suspensions, then a wide stone is probably preferable. But at the finishing stages and during straightening, when you work on stone only with water or oil, the width no longer matters so much, but convenience and control over the work become much more important. This was for the health of Belorechit. Now for peace. The marks from my specimen were also visible without optics, which suggests that the stone is quite rough and is not suitable for the role of finishing stone for razors. There are options to play with finishing the stone using different grinding grains, but I don’t want to spend time on this yet. I put Belorechit in penultimate or fourth place in my ranking.

What conclusions did I draw based on the two previous sharpening experiences? That these abrasives are not enough to keep the razor in good condition. And although the instructions for the microcorundum whetstone say that after it the razor should be finished on a canvas sling, and then on the skin, something tells me that pasted belts should be inserted before them (for example, with GOI paste). This apparently was practiced due to the inaccessibility of finer abrasives. I didn’t do this because... I was no longer interested in such a process and the subsequent result.

A miracle did not happen, but there was still hope that not everything was so bad with domestic fine abrasives. There were also doubts about the idealization of certain abrasives from different parts of the world and thoughts about belittling the capabilities of abrasives mined or produced on the territory of the USSR. They dispersed. There is also baicalite. Recently, cunning businessmen appeared who, under his guise, began to trade something similar. After a small scandal and debate, they began to call it tuffite or baicalite-tuffite or something else. I stopped watching the battles of the businessmen and I don’t know how it all ended. I have something similar in the format for the Apex format sharpening device, but when sharpening knives it did not show anything particularly outstanding.

This stone worked for me when sharpening knives, probably thinner than belorechit or micro-corundum whetstone on razors. I could try this stone on a razor, but not this time. And I didn’t take it with me, and it doesn’t have the same format. I definitely won’t buy it for razors again.

I'll put Black Arkansas in third place.

There are a lot of copies here, and discussions are overflowing. Arkansas are certainly different from each other. I have a freshly mined one from Dan's company. Lapped on silicon carbide powder of the 1000th fraction. I can say that this stone was my first sharpening, after which I was able to shave more or less tolerably. But you can regularly come across opinions that The razor after black Arkansas is quite aggressive. The serration on the edge is sharp, and shaving with such a razor, as they said before, is “disturbing.” The sharpening technique on Arkansas, and the stones themselves, may differ. The razor finishes decently. It is not my task to refute these opinions, but I have given up trying to get a decent shave out of my Arkansas blade. For knives, black Arkansas is one of the best finishing stones, for my taste. But for a razor - not for everyone. I put this stone in third place, due to the rather aggressive edge after finishing on it.

Guangxi. The stone is natural and from China. According to reviews, it’s a big lottery to buy a decent copy. Because If the stone is natural, its structure and nature of work may vary from layer to layer. But, it is quite thin. Those inclusions that are found in it, for example, are reddish-brown in color, have a soft structure (according to the descriptions of the rock, these are the fossilized remains of ancient plants) and they do not affect sharpening.

My Guangxi copy is finished with 1000 silicon carbide powder. The stone was larger, but during the leveling process a serious crack was discovered in it and it had to be shortened. Based on my impressions and taking into account my technique for sharpening a razor (with the stone on my hand), even this handheld version is too weighty and inconvenient. The hand gets tired. You need at least half the thickness. It became clear why some sellers cut them to make them at least twice as thin. I conducted an additional experiment with this stone, refusing synthetic abrasives in the early stages of sharpening. Now I'm using a set of solid Norton Washita, finished with 400 KK powder and black Arkansas from this note above. I don’t particularly lick my razor with these two stones, but, based on the results, it can shave with a squeak. And then I move on to nagura. IN in this case to Guangxi and Nagura. I use nagura attributed to Asano (Asano Nagura).

When you work with nagura, there are no special differences from working with other honzan bases, but they begin to appear when the nagura suspension is diluted during the work process. It feels like the razor is starting to slide over the Guangxi stone like a palm through soap. Perhaps Guangxi could have been handled a little more harshly, but there is no such desire. As a result, the process of sharpening and finishing is somewhat drawn out when compared with Japanese natural stones. This is especially felt at the finishing stage, when you are working on clean stone without using nagura. If the technology of sharpening with nagura is not very clear, it is described in detail in the article using the Iwasaki method. I showed how I do it myself in the film. From my own experience I was convinced that Guangxi is a rather specific and slow stone. But, in the end, the effect of slight sticking/slowing down of the finished razor on the stone is present. In general, this stone is quite suitable as a base for nagura, as well as for finishing sharpening a razor. Overall, Guangxi ranks second.

It is very difficult to decide on the first place. On the one hand, these are hard Japanese natural stones, on the other, Thuringian slate (but soft or hard is the question). Moreover, the fairly cheap Japanese Shobudani stone gives me finishing results comparable to the finish of the attributed Japanese natural stone Nakayama Maruka (also not so expensive). Both are lapped with 1000 silicon carbide powder. There are recommendations to finish grinding such stones not on free grain, but on something made of thin synthetic water stones. I don't have any of these in stock, so I'm content with what I have. Namely, silicon carbide powder. Nakayama Maruka was lapped on thin synthetic by the previous owner. Afterwards I finished it myself on silicon carbide. I didn’t feel any particular difference in the performance of this stone after one and the other type of finishing.

My first Japanese natural stone Shabudani.

And this is Nakayama Kiita Maruka. Once the stone was inserted into the box, but I uprooted it from there, because... I prefer to sharpen the razor while holding the stone in my hands.

Next comes the export Thuringian.

Unfortunately, it is not attributed to the Eschers (J.G. Escher hones). The seller, and the meager descriptions from the Internet, suggest that my stone is from a series and type sold by S.R. Droscher. I had the razors that finished at Escher. And we managed to compare the difference in finishes. If there is a difference between them and my Thuringian stone, then, to my taste and physiognomy, it is very insignificant. The stone is ground in 1000 silicon carbide powder. They recommended grinding it no higher than 600 fractions, but I couldn’t resist and brought it to 1000. So far I’m happy with the result and I don’t want to scratch the stone again.

I still can’t decide which finish I like better, Japanese natural stone or Thuringian. On the latter, you may not be very happy with the fact that the water does not lie on it as a thin film, but collects in puddles during operation. The line in fine-tuning is so small and blurred, and testing conditions vary (the razors are different, the face is prepared differently, the stubble different lengths) and it is still extremely difficult for me to grasp this line. I like both, but I still want to find something even better, even thinner, even more comfortable.

To sum up this personal rating, I can say that if you are interested in budget sharpening and finishing of a razor, then this is a set of Guangxi and Asano Nagura. If you want some sophistication and greater speed of work, then here is a set of Japanese natural stone and Asano Nagura. At the same time, there is little point in chasing attributed stones, which will not provide any special finesse or quality of finish, but will rather have a collection value and interest. Well, to show off, you can add Thuringians to your arsenal and diversify the finish of the razor sharpening. The only drawback of the Thuringians compared to the Guangxi and Japanese naturals is that these stones are finishing stones. Guangxi and Yapnuts in combination with Asano Nagura give a greater range in sharpening and finishing than the naked Thuringian. You can't staff it with nagurami. You can, of course, try with nagura, but your hand doesn’t rise, so you’ll have to select a whole set of stones to squeeze out something similar to what Asano can be given with nagura with a hard base stone (called awasedo or honzan).

The optimal option would probably be Japanese inexpensive natural stone and a set of Asano Nagura. The rest is subtleties and delights that only people who are keen on sharpening and close shaving can appreciate.

But there are still enough stones for sharpening and finishing razors. Perhaps, if I have the means and desire, I will try other options and add to this note.

Stone for sharpening a straight razor in our catalog

Sharpening a straight razor is no less exciting than shaving itself. If you learn how to sharpen a straight razor, you will be able to handle any cutting object. Therefore, every man should acquire such a skill.

In order to sharpen a straight razor, various stones are used. No matter how much you want to save money, you will have to spend money on several copies, which you will use alternately each time. Today, synthetic stones are often used for straight razors, which you can buy in our store and accessories for them.

Buy stones for straight razors in the store website

Our online store is a specialized store of straight razors and accessories. We work directly with manufacturers, which means that we only represent original products. In our large catalog you can buy stones for sharpening straight razors, as well as straight razors from world-famous manufacturers: Solingen and Thiers Issard. Solingen razors are presented in two lines. With us you can also.

With proper care, these truly high-quality razors will last you for decades. To make shaving comfortable and safe, you need to buy a stone for sharpening a straight razor and a belt for straightening. Below we will tell you how to choose and use the right straight razor stone.

Choosing a stone for sharpening a straight razor

People who have recently purchased a straight razor are often lost in the huge offer of the modern market and cannot choose suitable stones for your instrument. Different materials, cross-section, quality - it’s really easy to get confused. Your choice should be stones that have the following qualities.

1. Nice stone To sharpen a straight razor, it must be uniform. Look carefully at its surface. It should be perfectly smooth visually. If you observe elevations or heterogeneity on it, then it is better to abandon such a stone.
2. Size matters! 150x50 stones are best suited. You can find other offers on the market: 60x180, 70x200, etc. We recommend that you stick to the optimal size so as not to overpay and sharpen your straight razor with maximum comfort.
3. Evaluate the shape of the stone. It should be smooth on all sides. Often there are low-quality samples in which only one side is declared smooth. Get ready for the fact that you will be buying a really high-quality stone.

For a complete and high-quality sharpening of a straight razor, you will need several stones of different grain sizes:
. #500;
. #1000;
. #3000;
. #5000;
. #6000;
. #8000;
. #10000.
The first stone will be useful to you for correcting the geometry of a straight razor, rough processing of the cutting edge and its repair. Further sharpening should be carried out on stones with an increasingly larger cross-section.

Natural or synthetic?

Among owners of straight razors, there is ongoing debate about which stones are better to use for sharpening their tools: synthetic or natural. Let's try to understand this issue.
For a long time, stones produced in Belgium and Germany were considered the best. These are natural stones made from slate. They were even once called “razor stones.” But progress does not stand still and can offer us alternative options. Recently, synthetic stones made in Japan have become increasingly popular. How are they better and why are they worse?

1. Think about what nature can provide us with and what a machine for making synthetic stones can provide. Slate can be heterogeneous in places, have different grain sizes, and gradually fail, which will lead to poorer sharpening time after time. Unfortunately, nature did not even imagine that it was creating stones for sharpening razors, so it was not in her plans to make them perfect.
The synthetic straight razor sharpening stone is made specifically for this purpose and therefore has optimal characteristics. Therefore, with a high-quality approach to the production of such stones, homogeneous samples are obtained without compactions, elevations or small depressions.

2. Experienced sharpening specialists still tend to choose stones created by nature. They say that using a straight razor sharpened on such stones is much more comfortable.

3. The use of natural stones is a real tribute to tradition. You will sharpen your shaving tools just like your ancestors did.
Which stone to choose is up to you. Still, for beginners, we recommend synthetic stones, which are easier to handle.
Alternative
The modern market is ready to offer us alternative options for making stones for sharpening straight razors and generally other methods that you will have to evaluate. We highly recommend that you try each of them individually to see which one is right for you. It is necessary that the sharpening process brings maximum comfort and pleasure.

Water stones

Most often, such stones are used for sharpening woodworking tools. However, it is also suitable for a straight razor. It should be used for honing a razor (very rough sharpening) when the tool no longer works as it should.

Water stones also come in synthetic and natural varieties. Most often, the composition of such products includes aluminum, silicon carbide and ceramics. Before use, the stone must be moistened generously. You need to buy stones for sharpening straight razors according to the size of the tool itself. Try to keep the length of the razor no longer than the width of the stone. It is better to purchase a water stone with a small supply in order to be sure to sharpen your instrument with high quality.

Ceramic hones

These are old-fashioned straight razor sharpening stones that you can still buy in regular stores, but you'll have to look for them. You can purchase domestic diamond-coated products. Such stones are called “butcher’s rod.” They are much softer than water stones, so they can be used for fine processing of the cutting edge.
As a rule, these are very small touches that give truly high-quality results. Suitable for dry work. You can also wet such a stone. It all depends on how comfortable you are with working in one way or another.

Fine abrasive grit or sandpaper

You can try this method only for the sake of experimentation, since you are unlikely to like it. Sandpaper needs frequent replacement, although it is inexpensive.
How to tell if your razor is sharpened

It can be very difficult for a beginner to determine that the cutting edge of a razor is perfect and suitable for use. There are two effective ways, allowing you to determine how sharp your straight razor is. To do this, you can use a hair on weight or a microscope. It's better to combine them.

First, try cutting the hair on the fly with your straight razor. You can do this on your hand without touching the skin. If the razor cuts hairs, then it is safe to use. Next, look at it under a microscope. At 500x magnification, the cutting edge should be mirror-like with only minor spots and scratches.

Common mistakes in using sharpening stones

When you're just starting to use a straight razor stone and haven't gained any experience sharpening it yet, you may encounter some interesting effects and bugs. To quickly learn how to bring your cutting edge to perfection, we recommend that you avoid the mistakes listed below.

Sharp pain in the hand

You work with the razor for one hour, two, four, and now it is brought to perfection, cutting hair on the fly! Remember that you have been working for a very long time, so be prepared for the fact that individual fingers or the entire hand may experience spasms. It manifests itself as sharp pain.

The pain does not occur during the sharpening process, but after it. During the evening, we do not recommend that you carry fragile objects in your hands, or hold children or animals in your arms, because the sharp pain may cause you to drop them. Also, do not shave immediately after sharpening. This may cause injury. And if you drop the razor, it will result in chips and the blade will have to be sharpened again or even purchased a new tool. Many people think that they need to see a doctor for things like this. The fact is that spasm cannot be predicted. Beginners should be prepared for this effect.

Along the blade and in a circle

With all due respect to the people who taught you how to sharpen kitchen knives and other cutting tools, you must look at the facts and use a straight razor sharpening stone correctly. You must clearly understand what processes occur with the cutting edge due to certain manipulations with stones. And the first thing you need to know is that any stone leaves scratches on the cutting edge, right up to the final stages of processing.

When you move the cutting edge across the stone, this has a positive effect on the sharpness of the razor. The grooves will be across the blade. In this case, the razor will withstand a lot of stress when chopping, cutting and planing and will not become dull for a very long time.

This is not to say that circular and longitudinal movements will not cause the razor to become sharp. However, she will not remain so for long. The fact is that longitudinal grooves create thinning in some places. This leads to the razor gradually breaking off in weak areas. “Where it’s thin, that’s where it breaks.” With this approach, you will have to use the straight razor stone very often.
It is acceptable to use circular and longitudinal movements on non-abrasive stones that do not cut off the cutting edge. This straight razor stone is designed to harden the tool.

Don't push!

Excessive pressure on the tool is a common mistake of new owners of straight razors. It is important to observe gradation here. At the very beginning of sharpening, when roughing the cutting edge, the pressure on the razor should be significant. The next time you use the razor, you should gradually reduce the pressure. In the final stages, the razor should press on the stone only under its own weight. In some cases, even this pressure should be reduced.

Why is this so important? The fact is that with high pressure the razor bends, and you are processing not the tip of the cutting edge, but areas located slightly higher. This will not lead to a positive result and can ruin the razor if you are particularly diligent.

Appearance or efficiency?

Even experts often use electrical tape or other interlayers when using a stone to straighten and sharpen straight razors. In the short term this will not cause serious problems. However, after 10-15 such sharpenings, the razor will work worse and worse. Why? Explanations will be required.

Electrical tape and other layers are used to prevent damage to the blade of the razor by abrasive materials. This measure ensures that the razor looks aesthetically pleasing, there are no rough edges left on it, and it remains mirror clean. But using such devices, you violate the geometry of the tool. It is already made so that anyone can sharpen it without resorting to the use of other materials and tools other than stones.

When you use duct tape, you change the angle of sharpening. He's getting dumber. Accordingly, the razor itself becomes duller and duller each time, despite the fact that you use a microscope to control its condition and other tricks. Therefore, we strongly do not recommend using electrical tape.
Use of low-quality abrasive materials
It is quite difficult for a beginner to buy stones for straight razors and not make the wrong choice. If you purchase a cheap, low-quality stone, you risk not only not achieving the desired result, but also ruining your razor. Such products are sold at every turn at prices ranging from 20 to 200 rubles. As a rule, they are made in China.

Determining if an abrasive stone is not right for you is not easy. First, look at the price tag. A good tool cannot be too cheap. Once purchased, test the stone on something less gentle than a straight razor. Take a kitchen knife and try sharpening it. If during the process grains break off from the stone or they are located on it in small clusters, then it can be thrown away, “buying your mind” in this way.

Why is splitting grain so bad? They can be simply fatal to the cutting edge! When they break off, they begin to roll between the surface of the stone and the cutting edge. This leads to blade damage and serious chipping. Naturally, this negatively affects the severity.

Level the stones!

It is very rare to find a perfectly smooth stone that will become a faithful friend to your straight razor. Therefore, any stone, whether it’s just from a package or an old one you inherited from your great-grandfather, should be leveled before use. The exception would be DMT grade stones. But even among such products there are crooked goods that need fine-tuning.
Finishing is a rather complex process. It can be carried out using another stone of a smaller section or special tools. In this matter, it is better not to take unnecessary risks and contact a specialist.

Cleaning before use

During storage, stones become covered with dust. Dust particles, although small, serve as an additional abrasive that interferes with work. Wipe away all debris from the stone with your hand, both before use and during work. Rinse and moisten water stones in a timely manner to achieve maximum results.

If you take care of the stones for sharpening straight razors, which you can buy in our certified online store, then your tool will delight you every day with its sharpness and efficiency. Don't make common mistakes and don't stop improving!

Buy stones for straight razors in the britvaopasnaya.ru store

Our online store is a specialized store of straight razors and accessories. We work directly with manufacturers, which means that we only stock original products. In our large catalog you can buy stones for sharpening straight razors, belts for straightening straight razors, as well as straight razors from world-famous manufacturers: Solingen and Thiers Issard. Solingen razors are presented in two lines. From us you can buy Dovo Solingen and Erbe Solingen straight razors.

Choosing a stone for sharpening a straight razor

People who have recently purchased a straight razor are often lost in the huge offer of the modern market and cannot choose the right stones for their tool. Different materials, cross-section, quality - it’s really easy to get confused. Your choice should be stones that have the following qualities.

1. A good stone for sharpening a straight razor should be uniform. Look carefully at its surface. It should be perfectly smooth visually. If you observe elevations or heterogeneity on it, then it is better to abandon such a stone.2. Size matters! 150x50 stones are best suited. You can find other offers on the market: 60×180, 70×200, etc. We recommend that you stick to the optimal size so as not to overpay and sharpen your straight razor with maximum comfort.3. Evaluate the shape of the stone. It should be smooth on all sides. Often there are low-quality samples in which only one side is declared smooth. Get ready for the fact that you will be buying a really high-quality stone.

For complete and high-quality sharpening of a straight razor, you will need several stones of different grits: #500; #1000; #3000; #5000; #6000; #8000; #10000.The first stone will be useful to you for correcting the geometry of a straight razor, rough processing of the cutting edge and its repair. Further sharpening should be carried out on stones with an increasingly larger cross-section.

Natural or synthetic?

Among owners of straight razors, there is ongoing debate about which stones are better to use for sharpening their tools: synthetic or natural. Let's try to understand this issue. For a long time, stones produced in Belgium and Germany were considered the best. These are natural stones made from slate. They were even once called “razor stones.” But progress does not stand still and can offer us alternative options. Recently, synthetic stones made in Japan have become increasingly popular. How are they better and why are they worse?

1. Think about what nature can provide us with and what a machine for making synthetic stones can provide. Slate can be heterogeneous in places, have different grain sizes, and gradually fail, which will lead to poorer sharpening time after time. Unfortunately, nature did not even imagine that it was creating stones for sharpening razors, so it was not in her plans to make them ideal. A synthetic stone for sharpening a straight razor is made precisely for this purpose, and therefore has optimal characteristics. Therefore, with a high-quality approach to the production of such stones, homogeneous samples are obtained without compactions, elevations or small depressions.

2. Experienced sharpening specialists still tend to choose stones created by nature. They say that using a straight razor sharpened on such stones is much more comfortable.

3. The use of natural stones is a true tribute to tradition. You will sharpen your shaving tool the way your ancestors did. Which stone to choose is up to you. Still, for beginners, we recommend synthetic stones, which are easier to handle. Alternative The modern market is ready to offer us alternative versions of stones for sharpening straight razors and, in general, other methods that you will have to evaluate. We highly recommend that you try each of them individually to see which one is right for you. It is necessary that the sharpening process brings maximum comfort and pleasure.

Water stones

Ceramic hones

These are old-fashioned straight razor sharpening stones that you can still buy in regular stores, but you'll have to look for them. You can purchase domestic diamond-coated products. Such stones are called “butcher’s rod.” They are much more delicate than water stones, so they can be used for fine processing of the cutting edge. As a rule, these are very small stones that give a truly high-quality result. Suitable for dry work. You can also wet such a stone. It all depends on how comfortable you are with working in one way or another.

Fine abrasive grit or sandpaper

You can try this method only for the sake of experimentation, since you are unlikely to like it. Sandpaper needs frequent replacement, although it is inexpensive. How to tell if a razor is sharp

It can be very difficult for a beginner to determine that the cutting edge of a razor is perfect and suitable for use. There are two effective ways to determine how sharp your straight razor is. To do this, you can use a hair on weight or a microscope. It's better to combine them.

Common mistakes in using sharpening stones

Sharp pain in the hand

Along the blade and in a circle

This is not to say that circular and longitudinal movements will not make the razor sharp. However, she will not remain so for long. The fact is that longitudinal grooves create thinning in some places. This leads to the razor gradually breaking off in weak areas. “Where it’s thin, that’s where it breaks.” With this approach, you will have to use the straight razor stone very often. It is acceptable to use circular and longitudinal movements on non-abrasive stones that do not cut the cutting edge. This straight razor stone is designed to harden the tool.

Don't push!

Appearance or efficiency?

When you use duct tape, you change the angle of sharpening. He's getting dumber. Accordingly, the razor itself becomes duller and duller each time, despite the fact that you use a microscope to control its condition and other tricks. Therefore, we strongly do not recommend using electrical tape. Using low-quality abrasive materials It is quite difficult for a beginner to buy stones for straight razors and not make the wrong choice. If you purchase a cheap, low-quality stone, you risk not only not achieving the desired result, but also ruining your razor. Such products are sold at every turn at prices ranging from 20 to 200 rubles. As a rule, they are made in China.

Level the stones!

It is very rare to find a perfectly smooth stone that will become a faithful friend to your straight razor. Therefore, any stone, whether it’s just from a package or an old one you inherited from your great-grandfather, should be leveled before use. The exception would be DMT grade stones. But even among such products there are crooked goods that need finishing. Finishing is a rather complex process. It can be done using another stone of a smaller section or special tools. In this matter, it is better not to take unnecessary risks and contact a specialist.

Cleaning before use

It must be admitted that I decided to write this article not without hesitation. Their reason is ridiculously simple, and it is this: “As many sharpeners, as many sharpening methods.” It is clear that sharpening a knife is different from sharpening scissors, and both are different from sharpening a bladed razor. Actually, the latter is the subject of my next note, which should be taken as an invitation to discussion. But the discussion is constructive, where there is no place for trolling and arguing until we are hoarse about which of us, the “grinders,” is cooler.

The issue of sharpening razors is not at all easy, and it needs to be approached carefully and carefully. At the same time, I don’t like to cast a shadow on the fence and believe that the problem of sharpening is so important and eternally relevant that it would be wrong to ignore it in the blog. I will try to present the material in such a way that it is understandable to the reader who does not have professional training as a sharpener and is generally encountering such a discussion for the first time. Additional motivation for writing this article came from questions from our customers who note the high quality of the razors. « Art RAZOR» and, at the same time, sometimes they show surprise at our choice of sharpening materials. In fact, many European razor lovers are still confident that the best sharpening of a blade can be achieved exclusively with expensive natural stones!

Razor model " RAVEN" (production " Art RAZOR") on the working surface of the synthetic stone series NANIWA SS(800 grit)

There is one more point. Many users of blade razors have become skilled in self-sharpening their instruments, and some even enjoy this process, simultaneously deriving purely practical benefits, i.e. do without paid professional sharpeners. However, in any case, in order to do this work, you need high-quality stones. Well, and skillful hands, of course :). And if the first is relatively easy to solve with the help of money (usually considerable), then the second is a matter of rather sophisticated skill and motor skills. I think I will also touch on “amateur” problems, but now I want to focus on professional sharpening.

What is it? What are the criteria for professional sharpening? Personally, I distinguish three of them for myself:

The ability to get a high-quality shave right out of the box, without any adjustments or additional tricks;

Stability of sharpening, that is, the razor retains its excellent shaving properties for a long time (at least six months to a year), subject to proper daily use and competent editing by the user himself;

Comfort, “softness” of shaving, when no special effort is required during the procedure.

The listed points can be put in any order, the essence will not change. In fact, it is precisely on these tasks that any sharpener concentrates. But the result is achieved in different ways. Unfortunately, due to the involvement of a fairly wide range of people of varying degrees of training in the discussion, the problem has acquired a large number of myths, prejudices and even outright “sectarianism”; Sometimes these controversial and false stereotypes penetrate into the professional environment.

Japanese natural stone NAKAYAMA Karasu with a finishing grit of 5000+ grit. Razor - Kamisori " HAIKU" (production " Art RAZOR»)

The main question that causes a conflict of opinions is whether to sharpen with natural stones or synthetics? Let's look at this in more detail. And for this we will make a very small theoretical excursion.

My working set of Japanese synthetic water stones of the professional NANIWA SS series, by grit from left to right: S 400, S 800, S 3000, S 10,000. There is another “step” missing in the picture, 6000 grit, since I use a stone from a different line; This is how it happened historically :)

Sharpening is the formation of the working surface of a cutting tool. In the vast majority of cases, and always in relation to a razor, sharpening is performed mechanically, by removing “extra” metal in the area of the cutting/shaving edge. Sharpeners of blade razors one way or another strive for the so-called fast sharpening. It means that when working on each abrasive material, we get a gain in sharpness, and so we move from coarser-grained abrasives to less coarse-grained ones. Since correct sharpening of both the razor and the knife is carried out exclusively across the cutting edge, a microsaw is formed, which is responsible for the cut. Let me note in passing that significantly higher requirements are placed on the razor’s microsaw, since the hair is cut in one movement, sliding at a certain angle to the surface of the skin (about 15-20° degrees, contrary to the common misconception about 30° due to inattentive reading of specialized hairdressing literature) and at a certain angle (about 25-30° degrees) to the general direction of shaving the area. If this second angle is ignored, then shaving occurs not by cutting, but essentially by scraping; then they talk about straight shaving, which is not very welcome, as it injures the skin and does not use the full potential of the tool.

When the correct geometry of the edge is set already at the very first stages, then in fact, then the sharpener only removes the risks remaining from the previous coarse abrasive, and even more precisely, covers them with new ones, which are much finer. The smaller the marks, the sharper the razor. In theory, everything is extremely simple :).

Almost everyone who sharpens razors is unanimous in the opinion that the following stages should be followed: 1000 grit (sometimes you can skip), 3000 grit, 5000-6000 grit (depending on the composition of the kit from a particular manufacturer), 8000 grit, 10,000 grit, and... further, as they say, to taste; some go further, up to 15,000 and even 18,000 grit, which I personally think is excessive. (In passing, I will note for the uninitiated, simplifying it greatly, that grit is a unit of measurement of abrasive materials that shows how many uniformly distributed and almost identical particles of abrasive fit on a square centimeter of a tool - stones, circles, sandpaper etc.) Alas, this very grit is not very standardized today, and therefore there are even some comparative tables that bring the grits into line with the microns in which roughness is usually measured (a fairly good, albeit cursory, overview of the issue can be found, for example here:

Roughly speaking, leading manufacturers of sharpening stones are tied to their own internal industrial standards, and they correlate non-linearly with each other. With synthetic stones everything is somewhat simpler and more standardized, although there are certain differences depending on the manufacturer.

As I have already said, many sharpeners of blade razors believe that “real” sharpening must certainly be done on “naturals”, or natural sharpening materials - Japanese hard water stones using the so-called nagura (providing a fine suspension with water; it is nagurami that sets the sequence of increasing grit), various American “Arkansas”, European or Chinese slates, etc. And there are also stones that are sharpened using oil. Generally speaking, full list of all kinds of stones would make up a rather impressive catalog. Sometimes Japanese stones are simply elevated to cult; their supporters create a whole philosophy around the subject and, in general, as they say, catch Zen. To be fair, it should be noted that before the advent of high-quality synthetic stones, yapnuts gave very good and, as a rule, predictable results... I think sharpening on natural stones has become widespread and highly appreciated due to the fact that many advanced users periodically do not sharpen, but simply sharpen their razors, and this has become a good habit for them at the level of a reflex. In this case, naturalists are a completely acceptable option.

At the other pole are those who generally prefer to shape the cutting (shaving) edge of the razor on sandpaper, and then bring the razor sharpness to a comfortable state on a pasted belt - leather or fabric, lubricated or rubbed abrasive paste, in the simplest case, with GOI paste. I don’t want to dwell on this method in too much detail, because I consider this approach to be amateurish and lead to rapid wear of the razor itself and inevitable distortion of its original geometry. However, for a not-too-demanding user, this is almost the only way to keep the razor in working condition without incurring special costs, without delving into the intricacies of our craft and without the services of a professional. After all, this is how our grandfathers sharpened their razors :).

An example of a razor that has been sharpened correctly, and therefore its original geometry is preserved in excellent condition, despite its very “venerable” age (razor ERIK ANTON BERG, Sweden, Eskilstuna, con. XIX century - beginning XX century

This razor was not so lucky (razor BENGALL, England, Sheffield). In this case, I do not mean damage to the handle, but defects in the blade, which are a direct consequence of systematic unprofessional sharpening, most likely using emery and a pasted belt: sharpening of the blade, significant grinding of the spine and a clear tendency to the so-called. a reverse smile - the bend of the line of the shaving edge towards the butt... But this razor, initially excellent - is almost the same age as the previous one!

What about the notorious mirror shine edges? The play of light on the edge is a spectacular thing. Of course, such an effect in combination with a successful hair cutting test, as a rule, indicates a high-quality, solid sharpening. At the same time, the “mirror” is not an end in itself. But the width of the edge is directly related to the ergonomics of use. A tool with a thread edge is easier and faster to sharpen on a clean belt; this sharpening promises to be more durable. But this is just a natural consequence of the correct actions of a qualified sharpener. The main argument in favor of synthetic stones - an argument that reflects the physical essence - is that at each stage of grit, up to the highest values, it is sharpening that occurs, and not polishing and smoothing. After all, at each stage metal is removed, that is, the edge in the transverse projection becomes sharper. Metal removal provides specularity, because the fresh regular marks left by the abrasive on the steel are very small; With high grit it is not so easy to see them even with a magnifying glass; you need a good microscope.

Shaving edge of the razor " ERIKA" ((production " Art RAZOR") demonstrates our internal sharpening standard.

What happens when using natural stones as the number of grits increases? Up to a certain value of grit (this line, in my experience, lies somewhere around 3000-6000, depending on the brand and quality of the stones), the difference between natural and synthetic is almost invisible, insignificant. Intensive metal removal is underway (at the micro level, however, synthetic stone still gives a more regular picture), the shaving edge is formed in the “standard” mode. But at a certain stage, natural stone begins to work simply as a flat table with a certain average roughness coefficient, and the soft nagura suspension has practically no abrasive properties in relation to steel. It, of course, is needed for something else, for sliding and protection from peculiar microtraumas of the edge, because the movements of even a very good sharpener are imperfect. So, the metal is no longer removed, and the shaving edge begins to simply to be smoothed, to be more or less well polished. At the same time, the sharpness of the blade also increases, but this is no longer a completely controlled and manageable process, which is closer to art than to technology. With all the ensuing consequences. What happens during burnishing is a microscopic analogue of “hardening”, when the geometry of the cutting edge is adjusted using pressure applied perpendicular to the plane being leveled. So getting ready for work regular braid; An experienced mower can easily improve the cut of his tool by beating the edge with a hammer on an anvil. As we can see, the physics of the process when working at high grit levels differs significantly between natural and synthetic materials. With micro-hardening it is much more difficult to achieve a mirror-like shine on the edge. However, some sharpeners succeed in this.

In general, today I do not know of a fully developed and exhaustive small details model of the razor sharpening process. The expressed considerations and deep theoretical knowledge of anyone, in fact, are worth nothing without skillful and experienced hands. Sharpening a razor is one of those activities in which the combination of understanding the theoretical foundations and developing sustainable practical skills is best demonstrated. Here practice and the quality of the result act as the measure of things. And of course, each master has his own style, set of techniques and professional “secrets” that cannot be conveyed in simple small talk.

I really don't want to seem categorical. Inevitably, my reasoning will seem controversial to some, this is completely natural. I don't consider myself an infallible guru of the razor sharpening process. But everything I write about here are conclusions drawn based on my own experience, both positive and negative. In addition, almost any user who has purchased our razor can testify to the high quality of sharpening and shaving comfort. And therefore I will allow myself to draw several conclusions, which I formulated primarily for myself and for Club of Free Masters « Art RAZOR» .

Conclusion one:if you need the most predictable result, then it is easier to achieve it using synthetics, especially if you do not have a long-term habit of using natural stones.

Conclusion two:When sharpening a razor, you need to care not only about the immediate suitability of the tool, but also about the duration of the achieved result and the safety of the blade.

Conclusion three (main): You can sharpen in any way and on any stones, if you know how to do it really well! If not, then it is better to turn to a professional and purchase a known high-quality razor, which initially brings a minimum of hassle, worry and work to bring it to perfection. I responsibly declare that razors « Art RAZOR» You can shave straight out of the box. By the way, developing the necessary sharpening skills for everyone inevitably leads to damage to at least one or two razors. This is the harsh truth, it is a journey of trial and error :).

In conclusion, so as not to be considered a boring theorist, I will show how I sharpen myself. This is just a fragment of the video, it does not reflect the entire process, but it shows the nature and intensity of the movements at the final stages of sharpening.

I wish everyone, both professionals and amateur enthusiasts, success in sharpening and am ready, to the best of my ability and knowledge, to continue the conversation about the technology of the razor sharpening process.

Ideal cosmetics. Makeup. Manicure. Oils. Massage. Coloring

Which stone to sharpen a razor? Sharpening a straight razor: the art of fine forms. Which specific sharpening stones are best to choose for sharpening?

Buy stones for straight razors in the store website

Choosing a stone for sharpening a straight razor

Natural or synthetic?

Water stones

Ceramic hones

Fine abrasive grit or sandpaper

Common mistakes in using sharpening stones

Buy stones for straight razors in the britvaopasnaya.ru store

Choosing a stone for sharpening a straight razor

Natural or synthetic?

Water stones

Ceramic hones

Fine abrasive grit or sandpaper

Common mistakes in using sharpening stones