I have the pleasure of living 5 minutes away from Howie. He sharpens everything I own that can be sharpened. I can tell you first hand he is an absolute master of his craft. And yes I would trust him to shave a new born with a straight razor!!!
Howard, you are the MAN! I consider myself a knife sharpening expert. I've been sharpening knives for almost 2 decades. I do it semi-professionally, as well as for pretty much anyone who knows me. So, I thoroughly understand the process and theory of creating a bevel, burr, etc. However, getting good results sharpening my straight razor has eluded me. I've tried numerous techniques, with mediocre results. I knew my tools were also mediocre, only having a Norton 4000-grit/8000-grit stone, but I knew I could do better. I just KNEW there was a better technique out there, and yours is it. The first time I tried it, with just my 4000-grit and 8000-grit stones, I got a great edge. I can't wait to get some finer stones and see what I can do. Thanks so much.
A compliment beyond wet shaving for nick shaves: you are a fantastic hobbyist in general. Hobbies only have value in proportion to the enthusiasm that you invest in them, and enthusiasm like yours is super encouraging and contagious. It's always about the hobby, the general interest, the new information, the experiences, and just good old fashioned geeking! It's less about putting on a show, and more about putting a camera in front of your journey (regardless of where it takes you). This builds enthusiasm in the rest of us geeks, and we're grateful for that. Now.... if you'll excuse me.... I have to go begin shopping for my first straight razor, for reasons that I'm sure a lot of people can relate to right now. Thanks again for a great vid!
Evan R Thanks man! I am glad that you can see my passion here - I tend to get very interested in lots of different things, and Howard's knowledge was awesome to tap into. Now I need more experience with this razor!
I just got my tactical black cutthroat back from Howard's shop. Very awesome job. Blade cut through my 3 day growth like butter. Until I start honing my own, I will be taking my business his way. Thanks for the tip from this video!!
Hi Nick. I'm really glad you put this video out. I'm struggling (failing) to keep my few straights shave ready, even though I have a finishing stone. This is such an interesting and informative video. Thank you very much.
I bought stones. Sharpened my straight razor. It worked just fine following his steps. I debated for a few months to send it to him. I finally gave in to myself and sent it to him. He got it back to me in a timely manner and boy was I super impressed! What he did to my blade, I don't think I could ever achieve. I'll be sending him all my razor from this point forward. Thank you nick for finding Howard and thank super thank you Howard for the super awesome job on my blade. 😁
stoveman Thanks Stoveman! I have a huge collection of hones both natural and artificial and have used them all. I've settled on the Belgians and Shaptons as the best of the best.
I never thought I would learn so much out of watching wet shaving videos! Great idea shooting this, Nick! Great job, Howard is a fantastic guy too. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I used Howard about 8 years and I forgot the name of his website. Just recently found him again. I just got back a TI Spartacus from Howard. I’ve been using a straight since 1962 when my grandfather taught me how to use a straight razor. In all my years of shaving, I have never used a smoother or sharper blade. I hone my own razors but I’m nowhere close to him . I’ve used Lynn Abrams who was the master honer for Staight razor design and straight razor place. Lynn was great but Howard is magnificent! Thank you Howard! Grayson Russell
Nick, since you were last here I've extended my honing out even further. After focusing solely on the edge for 15 years, I'm now working my way up the bevel and noticing the results on my face.
I just bought 3 old straight edge razors at the swapmeet. I was going to polish them up and use them for display. But after watching this video, I might consider sending them out to get sharpened professionally, if they're salvageable. You can see the passion that this man has for his work!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you Nick & Howard. I have just begun my sharpening journey. I have a set of Shapton Kuromakus up to 12k and my straight razor is finally to the sharpness my thick wirey beard requires.
Late to the game, this guy is superb! Only one observation, stainless steel was discovered in Sheffield, United Kingdom long before the Germans ripped it off. Sheffield produced the finest steel till it all got sold off. A very minor point but it does not detract this mans skill and expertise. It was great to see a “craftsman” at work. Kind regards Tim
Hey, I love just down the road from Sheffield and would have accepted the German thing as true if you hadn't said. Gonna have to double check this 😎 Just got myself a vintage razor, over 100 years old. Forged and ground in Sheffield of course. Need to figure out how to get a decent edge on it, which is why I'm here 😅
Howard does an amazing job on kitchen cutlery, also. I made a five piece set for a gentleman in CPM154 @62-63 RC hardness that I just could not get to sharpen with my equipment. He got them absolutely laser sharp. He's a great friend, too.
Thanks for this one Nick! I have a cheaper strait that I don't really use, thinking about getting a quality strait soon! As a woodworker, I use a lot of those methods in sharpening my knives, plane irons and chisels. I even picked up a couple of useful tips!
I've always had trouble honing correctly. After watching this: I put a pretty aggressive bevel on an old straight razor. Took the razor to a higher grit. Took off the flash (29:27), Did two backward cross swipes on each side Once I was done, I tested the edge on my forearm, and watched the hairs lift off of my arm and collect onto the razor. I'm definitely glad I watched this video.
This is a fantastic video. Thank you to both of you. I’m interested to know how much pressure you apply while honing. Perhaps the indicator is if you’re taking off metal and getting a slurry. I don’t get any slurry with my ILR 12/15k... should I be pressing harder? Thank you, kind sir.
I want to thank everyone for their support! It has been a great year. I've now honed over 6,800 straight razors and am still very much in business! www.theperfectedge.com
Got myself a straight razor from Ralf Aust,he sharpend it a year ago, now I need to sharpend it again and in 6 weeks time I am attending a Workshop to train how to sharpening knifes and razors.
This is a really interesting video. This man is very meticulous and knowledgeable. I could hear the difference the second time when he ran the blade on his forearm.
impressive straight razors are definitely more involved than double edge razors.. Still i can't help but be impressed by "The Perfect Edge"..Nice one Nick thanks for showing us what's out here ;-)
Is it me or does it look like when he’s honing the video is sped up!? Wow! What skill! I do IT for a living and whenever I go to a new client I always start with the basics to make sure that whatever I build onto is going to work properly, just like he is doing with the way he standing in how tools are mounted. This guy is awesome!
Was talking, this past weekend, with Bruno von Dooren from Belgium. He's forged many beautiful razors over the years. We talked about honing and he came to the same conclusion I did. He's no longer using Japanese hones and now finishes on the Shapton 16k. Harrelson Stanley came to the same conclusion as well. He has a whole shelf of Japanese stones but now uses the Shaptons exclusively.
i have never heard of famous Japanese straight razor blades. They ARE however famous for chefs knives for cutting vegetables and fish A straight razor and these types of blades are very different so i imagine that trying to treat them both the same way would result in a very bad outcome.
***** i imagine that it would be a matter of preference French cuisine and Japanese cuisine are quite different but neither is superior to the other at least in my opinion.
Just got the 16 k and ATM it's a real challenge! So different from other synthetic stones. For starters it leaves a lot of scratches on the bevel and I'm trying different techniques to get a mirror bevel. So far it is not going well. My expectations were higher with these stones.
+Howard Schechter thanks Howard. That's very kind of you, unfortunately I sold it last week. I did end up getting nice edges and as you can tell from my post it wasn't going well. I did enjoy the stone however I really do prefer slow natural finishers these days. Thanks for your reply and keep those videos rolling. Regards Lee.
Thank you Nick and Howard!!! What a great video tutorial. I've put aside my stones out of frustration. I now have a better understanding. Keep up the excellent videos Nick.
i guess im randomly asking but does anybody know a tool to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb lost the account password. I would love any help you can offer me!
@Alan Abdiel Thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
Just beautiful! True Craftsmanship, Camellia oil which kind I heard you said from Japan so is it Japonica right? I use it always after finishing my shaves on everything... Loved the video and the Art.
Ryan, I currently start out with the double thick 500 glass stone, then 1k, 4k, 8k, 16k, and 30k and then finish on a four plate lapping system. The last two plates have abrasives on them that I make and they're in the 40k - 50k range. I get a lot of positive feedback about the razors honed with the Shaptons.
nick shaves Yeah, I only have a couple of Shavettes, given to me by my brother who's a professional barber, but even with that, I still have to work on my technique more. Kinda scoping out to get a real cut throat straight razor, not sure what to start with as my first one though.
Yeah, use to be the official NASA watch used on all Moon landings. I've had my 2nd one now for 22 yrs after my 1st one was stolen by an extraterrestrial alien. NASA kept that quiet though. It's still ticking.
Just a small point Howard, you said that Germany 'invented' stainless steel, in fact it was Harry Brearley, working Sheffield England who, whilst working to develop a wear resisting steel for the British Admiralty for use in gun barrels developed a 12.8% chromium and 0.24% carbon it is this which has been argued to be the first ever stainless steel. This steels resistance to corrosion was noted as were the resistance to attacks from acid and he recognised the potential for this steel; he noted that it would be ideal within the cutlery industry. His current employer at this stage wouldn’t support him and thus he went to produce his new steel at a local cutler. Within three weeks he perfected a hardening process for knifes and named the invention “rustless steel” however his friend Stuart named it “stainless steel” and since the name has stuck. It isn’t all that simple though because during the five year period between 1908 and the discovery in 1913 other scientists had potential claims to his title. It was a combined effort by all scientists and metallurgists which has created such a rich and versatile metal right at our fingertips and it is safe to say we will never solve the speculation behind who discovered stainless steel.
Okay, 126,065 views since May 19, 2015. What do I win for being the first to notice the SEVERED HAND on the middle of the bookshelf? At any rate, I always enjoy watching a perfectionist at work, even if he does keep trophy body parts in his workshop. I have two questions if you have the time. First, what is the magnification of your loupe. Second, I understand placing electrical tape on the spine while honing increases the blade angle. Is this increase negligible, or does it affect the quality of the shave?
No. You are also losing steel at the edge. The straight is designed so that the loss of steel at the edge and spine maintain the same edge bevel angle throughout the life of the razor. This is the best argument against tying the spine when honing.
A straight razor is designed by a team of engineers and the Overall Angle (OA) stays the same as the spine wears down at the same rate as the edge wears back. I do tape damascus blade spines so as not to mess up the etched damascus look but otherwise don't believe in taping the spine.
this was a great video on how to sharpen a straight razor. my son purchased me a straight razor. and it has two bevals in it. which i thought was appealing. but didnt have the heart to tell him. as it was a Christmas gift. i doubt i be able to get it rehoned as it wasnt that expensive but it has certainly made me thinking of purchasing a decent straight razor such as a dovo or a tiers issard. from france. i would like to invest in those stones but the price for all four are huge amounts of money. is there a company out there that would do the whole set . instead of purchasing them individually im based in the uk. i have looked around on various websites but not finding them as a set. would appreciate your advice. howard certainly knows how to sharpen those blades. amazing skill and great advice. ive spent an hour literally writing all of howards advice down and how to do it & how not to do it. The only thing im not sure on. He said he uses his three fingers to hold the blade down Does he mean his three finger on the spine. or just below the spine. So keeping the edge and spine true to the stone at a 45 degree angle. going back and fourth. would just like to know if im right or wrong on this question.. your advice would be greatly appreciated.... many thanks Kind regards mark
awesome video, I've always had an interest in sharpening knives although I've never tried a razor. The biggest impression this left me with though is "holy crap he's going to cut off the tips of all his fingers!" lol
LOL! No, I haven't cut off the tips off my fingers (yet) but I have ground them off several times. Takes about 3 days to heal. I've been honing for over 50 years but I do keep a big first aid kit in the shop.
Nick you look different today... Hold on.... Oh I know, this is the first time I see your face straight on instead of your reflection on a bathroom mirror! HAHA Great video thanks for sharing. Cheers
sucks that radio shack doesn't exist anymore. Im sure i can find something simular to that microscope on the net somewhere. I love this guy and it very rare that I like a person. his understanding of everything is amazing. I could totally hang with this dude and would listen to everyone of his fun facts with 110% attention.
Yes, there's nothing to replace Radio Shack and I miss them. I'm now getting the Carson MicroBrite from amazon.com and I actually like it better than the RadioShack model. LED light, easy focus, 60x-100x. The best deal I've found out there in optics at $12.
😂 I have that same jewlers loop from radio shack for $12 dollars from 2003 for my straights. I'm holding it in my hand now. Batteries are dead and switch needs a little work. Just got to polishing honing stroping and shaving with my 14 ebay razors from a 20 year hiatus. Screwy thing is just overnight through osmosis. I can hone polish and finally put a shaveable edge on a razor now. I can see imperfections and chips with the naked eye through the polish and glint of the metal against a good light.
Howard...you may have mentioned and I just didn't hear, but we're all those strokes with pressure? Could I use this same technique on my Naniwa stones? I have a 1000, 5000, 8000, and 12,000. Thank you for your response.
Richard, all of the strokes are with pressure because the goal is to remove steel. It's easy to gauge on the shapton stones as they're white and I look for an even smear of gray steel across the stone. The Naniwas are good stones but you might want to try finishing on the Shapton 16,000. You'll get a better shave.
Thanks Howard. Right now it is somewhat about the money needed to take care of a nice razor. The cost of stones, etc. I will get to the point of using a straight at some time in the future. I want a decent razor and to have the equipment to take care of it.
Howard. Questions on the coticule. I have many and collect them. I just bought a 12 inch one! it weighs a ton. Anyway. Howard are you still using them? you mentioned to me in an email years ago that you always use slurry. I feel slurry can round the edge. can you explain your process with them? Maybe a video? Are you not stropping even after a coticule?
Nicholas, YES! I still use coticles and Belgian blues and still love them. They sharpen quickly, don't load, don't form burrs, and give a great edge. What's not to like?
I have never experienced getting a rounded edge off of a coticule. I always use a slurry. When I'm honing other peoples' razors, I go past the coticule to the Shapton 16k and 30k. In my medicine cabinet though, I keep a coticule which I use to keep my own razors sharp. Strops. I no longer use hanging strops. I do have a 4 plate lapping system I created with .5 micron diamond, CrOx, and the last two are abrasives I make myself. One is called Purple Phase and it's around 40,000 grit and the last is Zulu Phase and it's around 50,000 grit. Shaves smooth and is amazingly sharp. BTW, I only sell Select grade coticules and, from what I've seen, and what my customers tell me, there IS a difference.
Nick, the coticule market has really changed over the past few years. A lot of what used to get thrown on the slag heap is now being sold with cute French names. At the same time a lot of problems have been cropping up with cuticles such as the rounding you mention. I don't experience these problems as I only use the Select grade coticules. They cost a bit more but, if you're going to have a stone for two generations, the extra cost is minimal and amortized out over time.
Thanks! That really clears things up, especially the bit about taping the spine. I ended up going with Dovo's Bergischer Lowe. Worth changing the attack angle slightly in order to save the sculpted, gold plated sine.
***** Shapton glass stones. They're the newest technology. The ceramic stones are old technology and fading out. I've been using the Shaptons for many years now and couldn't recommend them more. They give me consistent and repeatable results. The biggest variable is the razor itself, the steel, the heat treat, and the previous honing history. I've received blades which were sharpened on a belt grinder and that takes the temper out of the steel immediately. A blade like that will never work properly.
+Howard Schechter Thank you for your reply. I thought a dremel would be disasterous on any straight edge razor. I had a well-known pro basically tell me that whoever told me this is incompetent. Thanks again.
Working on straight razors is more like working on jewelry that is heat treated. I fix a lot of blades that get messed up with Dremels, Foredoms, WorkSharps, and belt sanders.
how many passes with the 8k,16k,and 30k? Also with knife sharpening people will go from heel to toe. is this also done with straight razor or only back and forth?
I have the pleasure of living 5 minutes away from Howie. He sharpens everything I own that can be sharpened. I can tell you first hand he is an absolute master of his craft. And yes I would trust him to shave a new born with a straight razor!!!
Howard, you are the MAN! I consider myself a knife sharpening expert. I've been sharpening knives for almost 2 decades. I do it semi-professionally, as well as for pretty much anyone who knows me. So, I thoroughly understand the process and theory of creating a bevel, burr, etc. However, getting good results sharpening my straight razor has eluded me. I've tried numerous techniques, with mediocre results. I knew my tools were also mediocre, only having a Norton 4000-grit/8000-grit stone, but I knew I could do better. I just KNEW there was a better technique out there, and yours is it. The first time I tried it, with just my 4000-grit and 8000-grit stones, I got a great edge. I can't wait to get some finer stones and see what I can do. Thanks so much.
how you´re an expert on sharpening when you only got 2 stones and saw a video on youtube to get a knowledge about a better sharpening technique?
Always be weary of someone who claims to “thoroughly understand” something
@@Snowdirtride You might want to take a grammar class.
A compliment beyond wet shaving for nick shaves: you are a fantastic hobbyist in general. Hobbies only have value in proportion to the enthusiasm that you invest in them, and enthusiasm like yours is super encouraging and contagious. It's always about the hobby, the general interest, the new information, the experiences, and just good old fashioned geeking! It's less about putting on a show, and more about putting a camera in front of your journey (regardless of where it takes you). This builds enthusiasm in the rest of us geeks, and we're grateful for that. Now.... if you'll excuse me.... I have to go begin shopping for my first straight razor, for reasons that I'm sure a lot of people can relate to right now. Thanks again for a great vid!
Evan R Thanks man! I am glad that you can see my passion here - I tend to get very interested in lots of different things, and Howard's knowledge was awesome to tap into. Now I need more experience with this razor!
I just got my tactical black cutthroat back from Howard's shop. Very awesome job. Blade cut through my 3 day growth like butter. Until I start honing my own, I will be taking my business his way. Thanks for the tip from this video!!
Hi Nick. I'm really glad you put this video out. I'm struggling (failing) to keep my few straights shave ready, even though I have a finishing stone. This is such an interesting and informative video. Thank you very much.
I bought stones. Sharpened my straight razor. It worked just fine following his steps. I debated for a few months to send it to him. I finally gave in to myself and sent it to him. He got it back to me in a timely manner and boy was I super impressed! What he did to my blade, I don't think I could ever achieve. I'll be sending him all my razor from this point forward. Thank you nick for finding Howard and thank super thank you Howard for the super awesome job on my blade. 😁
Sure thing David! I appreciate your kind words.
Best explanation of how a razor is honed. I like the equipment he uses. Just one of the best videos of how the process works.
stoveman Thanks Stoveman! I have a huge collection of hones both natural and artificial and have used them all. I've settled on the Belgians and Shaptons as the best of the best.
This was very informative for sharpening my own straight razors...and it's nice to see a master craftsman at work as well.
I never thought I would learn so much out of watching wet shaving videos! Great idea shooting this, Nick! Great job, Howard is a fantastic guy too. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Daniel Lugo Glad that you enjoyed it - I hope to do more like this in the future
@@nickshaves I have an antique razor my GF bought for me, would love to see if it can be brought back to life.
Thank you. This has to be one of the best videos explaining how to achieve the best results sharpening a straight razor. Keep up the good work.
I used Howard about 8 years and I forgot the name of his website. Just recently found him again. I just got back a TI Spartacus from Howard. I’ve been using a straight since 1962 when my grandfather taught me how to use a straight razor. In all my years of shaving, I have never used a smoother or sharper blade. I hone my own razors but I’m nowhere close to him . I’ve used Lynn Abrams who was the master honer for Staight razor design and straight razor place. Lynn was great but Howard is magnificent! Thank you Howard! Grayson Russell
This was a fascinating video. There're few things more interesting than listening to an affable and articulate expert talking happily about his work.
Nick, since you were last here I've extended my honing out even further. After focusing solely on the edge for 15 years, I'm now working my way up the bevel and noticing the results on my face.
Howard, can you list the make and model of that pocket telescope? Since radio shack is now defunct, I'm trying to locate one like what you are using.
@@XxsteamerxX Yes, it's the Carson MicroBrite and I just received some from Amazon. It goes 60x - 120x.
@@howardschechter9768 I found an original Radio Shack one on ebay but he tried to highball me. Got a Carson coming today from Amazon
it's always a real joy to see someone who loves what they're doing, no matter what it is. i really liked this.
I just bought 3 old straight edge razors at the swapmeet. I was going to polish them up and use them for display. But after watching this video, I might consider sending them out to get sharpened professionally, if they're salvageable. You can see the passion that this man has for his work!
Firetown, for sure! Put them back into use. info@theperfectedge.com
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you Nick & Howard. I have just begun my sharpening journey. I have a set of Shapton Kuromakus up to 12k and my straight razor is finally to the sharpness my thick wirey beard requires.
Nick, this was fantastic! Howard is so knowledgeable and such a great guy. Thank you very much for this very informative video.
All the best,
Ben
BigBenH18 Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video - it was an awesome experience for me and I learned tons
Radio shack! I miss Radio Shack. Wish they still existed!
Late to the game, this guy is superb! Only one observation, stainless steel was discovered in Sheffield, United Kingdom long before the Germans ripped it off. Sheffield produced the finest steel till it all got sold off. A very minor point but it does not detract this mans skill and expertise. It was great to see a “craftsman” at work. Kind regards Tim
Hey, I love just down the road from Sheffield and would have accepted the German thing as true if you hadn't said. Gonna have to double check this 😎
Just got myself a vintage razor, over 100 years old. Forged and ground in Sheffield of course. Need to figure out how to get a decent edge on it, which is why I'm here 😅
Howard does an amazing job on kitchen cutlery, also. I made a five piece set for a gentleman in CPM154 @62-63 RC hardness that I just could not get to sharpen with my equipment. He got them absolutely laser sharp. He's a great friend, too.
Thanks Calvin! That was a beautiful set of knives you made!
Thanks for this one Nick! I have a cheaper strait that I don't really use, thinking about getting a quality strait soon! As a woodworker, I use a lot of those methods in sharpening my knives, plane irons and chisels. I even picked up a couple of useful tips!
jayishere74 Very nice! My dad is a wood worker. You should check out the Superior Shave
Nick always has the best manners
Grant Rodgers He is such a gentleman.
Grant Rodgers Thanks! I try
I've always had trouble honing correctly.
After watching this:
I put a pretty aggressive bevel on an old straight razor.
Took the razor to a higher grit.
Took off the flash (29:27),
Did two backward cross swipes on each side
Once I was done, I tested the edge on my forearm, and watched the hairs lift off of my arm and collect onto the razor.
I'm definitely glad I watched this video.
This is a fantastic video. Thank you to both of you. I’m interested to know how much pressure you apply while honing. Perhaps the indicator is if you’re taking off metal and getting a slurry. I don’t get any slurry with my ILR 12/15k... should I be pressing harder? Thank you, kind sir.
The BEST explanation of setting the bevel. Finally..i get it!
Thank you very much for this video. Helped me a lot and I learned a ton. Wet shaving and straight razors are making a big comeback.
I want to thank everyone for their support! It has been a great year. I've now honed over 6,800 straight razors and am still very much in business! www.theperfectedge.com
Hey Howard! What is the typical turnaround time for your honing services? I have a Dovo I want to have honed by you.
@@rm5282 If I receive the razor on Monday (for example), I'll have it out by Thursday.
This fella has my business!! Not only a fellow trapper but knows straight razors too!!!
ha! you're the only one who noticed the traps! good eye!
Excellent video. Whenever I get around to it, I'll most likely send my dull straight to Howard for honing.
great video! just got this Radiumite Sheffield steel razor at my grandmother's house yesterday. gonna send it in to these guys
+MarvinMonroe Thanks Marvin! Looking forward to it. Email me at info@theperfectedge.com
This video is so good and Nick you were so professional. Well done! I look forward to many different videos like this in the future! And Vlogs!!!
elliott causton Thanks! I appreciate it
Got myself a straight razor from Ralf Aust,he sharpend it a year ago, now I need to sharpend it again and in 6 weeks time I am attending a Workshop to train how to sharpening knifes and razors.
Great video!! It must have been awesome to be there and learn the process in person. Thank you for sharing!!!
MMarlow It was a great time! I need to get some stones now
This is a really interesting video. This man is very meticulous and knowledgeable. I could hear the difference the second time when he ran the blade on his forearm.
this is a great video Nick. Great to see you outside the Den. very informative, Mr. Schechter is an artist indeed
Coffee Drinker Thanks! He is amazing, such a great teacher
Very interesting video, one of your best yet, imho. I've been considering giving straight razor shaving a try. Thx for the link.
OMG this is so awesome!!! Thanks for the video, Nick... I really appreciate it!
daniel fernandes Glad you enjoyed it!
Best honing video for long time! Scientific view in this case is more than religion of the right technique. Howard you got my respect!
Uula Väisänen for now, i want shaptons :D
Uula Väisänen Glad you liked it! Howard is awesome
impressive straight razors are definitely more involved than double edge razors..
Still i can't help but be impressed by "The Perfect Edge"..Nice one Nick thanks for showing us what's out here ;-)
+samdeur Thanks!
Is that an Omega Speedmaster watch? Very nice video, did not expect myself to watch the entire video at one sitting!
***** It is an Omega Speedmaster - fantastic watch. I hope you enjoyed the whole video
Is it me or does it look like when he’s honing the video is sped up!? Wow! What skill! I do IT for a living and whenever I go to a new client I always start with the basics to make sure that whatever I build onto is going to work properly, just like he is doing with the way he standing in how tools are mounted. This guy is awesome!
Legit episode Nick! I loved it and all the information. Good change to throw into the mix.
Kaden Christensen Thanks! Glad you liked the change up.
I love it when someone takes pride in the work they do
this is the video i was looking for where can i buy those sharpening stone please advice me really Thanks ...
Excellent video, I think i'm going to go for it and get a straight razor. Thanks Nick ur the man!
Was talking, this past weekend, with Bruno von Dooren from Belgium. He's forged many beautiful razors over the years. We talked about honing and he came to the same conclusion I did. He's no longer using Japanese hones and now finishes on the Shapton 16k. Harrelson Stanley came to the same conclusion as well. He has a whole shelf of Japanese stones but now uses the Shaptons exclusively.
Do you restore and rescale straights?
i have never heard of famous Japanese straight razor blades. They ARE however famous for chefs knives for cutting vegetables and fish A straight razor and these types of blades are very different so i imagine that trying to treat them both the same way would result in a very bad outcome.
***** i imagine that it would be a matter of preference French cuisine and Japanese cuisine are quite different but neither is superior to the other at least in my opinion.
Oh I eat a lot of Asian food! And I love French food. I think I just love food.
are you talking about japanese naturals? because shaptons are japanese.....
Howie, are you going back & forth on the stone or just down strokes? Hard to tell with the speed up of the video.
Awesome awesome video and the gentleman from The Perfect Edge is beyond awesome!
Nice tutorial! Thank you to you both for this video!
Such a talented and super nice guy, thanks for this awesome video Nick!
Pug Dog Nation You've got it! Howard is awesome and eager to share
Nick, you did a great job on this! People have already
Just got the 16 k and ATM it's a real challenge! So different from other synthetic stones. For starters it leaves a lot of scratches on the bevel and I'm trying different techniques to get a mirror bevel. So far it is not going well. My expectations were higher with these stones.
+Howard Schechter thanks Howard. That's very kind of you, unfortunately I sold it last week. I did end up getting nice edges and as you can tell from my post it wasn't going well. I did enjoy the stone however I really do prefer slow natural finishers these days. Thanks for your reply and keep those videos rolling. Regards Lee.
Great video really cool to watch! Also, watch are you wearing? It looks really good
wow Shrewsbury. I live up in westford. I'll have to stop in the perfect shave! nick you have great info on all your vids!
Thank you Nick and Howard!!! What a great video tutorial. I've put aside my stones out of frustration. I now have a better understanding. Keep up the excellent videos Nick.
i guess im randomly asking but does anybody know a tool to get back into an instagram account?
I was dumb lost the account password. I would love any help you can offer me!
@Davis Ellis Instablaster =)
@Alan Abdiel Thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Alan Abdiel it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much you saved my ass!
@Davis Ellis You are welcome xD
Just beautiful! True Craftsmanship, Camellia oil which kind I heard you said from Japan so is it Japonica right? I use it always after finishing my shaves on everything...
Loved the video and the Art.
Wow, Nick Be careful out there in the real world!!! Its not safe like your bathroom!!!
There are dangerous cartridge shavers out there!!!!
Paul O Are there people still using cartridges to shave?!
I hear they exist. There are rumors!!!
Ryan, I currently start out with the double thick 500 glass stone, then 1k, 4k, 8k, 16k, and 30k and then finish on a four plate lapping system. The last two plates have abrasives on them that I make and they're in the 40k - 50k range. I get a lot of positive feedback about the razors honed with the Shaptons.
great job Howard it kills me to see the non pros say your technique and or your stones not good seriously anyway thanks Nick and Howard awesome cheers
Well done Mate!
Great Video! Pretty different experience from your normal videos. Seeing this made me want to pick up my straight and shave!!
Xelerium Me too! Hence the straight razor shave video. I want to use my straight more
nick shaves
Yeah, I only have a couple of Shavettes, given to me by my brother who's a professional barber, but even with that, I still have to work on my technique more. Kinda scoping out to get a real cut throat straight razor, not sure what to start with as my first one though.
Wow great video Nick very informative since I hone my own straight razor with a Japanese 1k/6k water stone.
Giorgio Corrado Thanks for sharing this video! I always appreciate the support. What stones/strops/etc.. do you use in your entire sharpening process?
Awesome experience. I live so close to Howard, I'm going to have to give him a call.
Jason Rudman Where are you located? He is just down the road for me
Fantastic video. Great job, Nick and Howard.
Thanks! It was a pleasure to work with Nick!
Nick has an Omega Speedmaster! Good taste!
Thanks man! This was an awesome gift I received a few year ago
Yeah, use to be the official NASA watch used on all Moon landings. I've had my 2nd one now for 22 yrs after my 1st one was stolen by an extraterrestrial alien. NASA kept that quiet though. It's still ticking.
No shave video with the freshly sharpened blade?
purchased many coticule from howard. great finishing stones.
Wow, at the end, you can actually hear the "shaving" on his arm. Totally cool !
Just a small point Howard, you said that Germany 'invented' stainless steel, in fact it was Harry Brearley, working Sheffield England who, whilst working to develop a wear resisting steel for the British Admiralty for use in gun barrels developed a 12.8% chromium and 0.24% carbon it is this which has been argued to be the first ever stainless steel.
This steels resistance to corrosion was noted as were the resistance to attacks from acid and he recognised the potential for this steel; he noted that it would be ideal within the cutlery industry. His current employer at this stage wouldn’t support him and thus he went to produce his new steel at a local cutler.
Within three weeks he perfected a hardening process for knifes and named the invention “rustless steel” however his friend Stuart named it “stainless steel” and since the name has stuck. It isn’t all that simple though because during the five year period between 1908 and the discovery in 1913 other scientists had potential claims to his title.
It was a combined effort by all scientists and metallurgists which has created such a rich and versatile metal right at our fingertips and it is safe to say we will never solve the speculation behind who discovered stainless steel.
Thanks Steven! I did not know that. We now have all kinds of stainless steels in the 300 and 400 series and some are actually rust-proof!
Okay, 126,065 views since May 19, 2015. What do I win for being the first to notice the SEVERED HAND on the middle of the bookshelf? At any rate, I always enjoy watching a perfectionist at work, even if he does keep trophy body parts in his workshop. I have two questions if you have the time. First, what is the magnification of your loupe. Second, I understand placing electrical tape on the spine while honing increases the blade angle. Is this increase negligible, or does it affect the quality of the shave?
as you hone won’t the spine wear down and then the angle of your edge is constantly changing as the spine gets smaller
No. You are also losing steel at the edge. The straight is designed so that the loss of steel at the edge and spine maintain the same edge bevel angle throughout the life of the razor. This is the best argument against tying the spine when honing.
A straight razor is designed by a team of engineers and the Overall Angle (OA) stays the same as the spine wears down at the same rate as the edge wears back. I do tape damascus blade spines so as not to mess up the etched damascus look but otherwise don't believe in taping the spine.
this was a great video on how to sharpen a straight razor. my son purchased me a straight razor. and it has two bevals in it. which i thought was appealing. but didnt have the heart to tell him. as it was a Christmas gift. i doubt i be able to get it rehoned as it wasnt that expensive but it has certainly made me thinking of purchasing a decent straight razor such as a dovo or a tiers issard. from france.
i would like to invest in those stones but the price for all four are huge amounts of money. is there a company out there that would do the whole set . instead of purchasing them individually im based in the uk. i have looked around on various websites but not finding them as a set. would appreciate your advice. howard certainly knows how to sharpen those blades. amazing skill and great advice. ive spent an hour literally writing all of howards advice down and how to do it & how not to do it.
The only thing im not sure on. He said he uses his three fingers to hold the blade down
Does he mean his three finger on the spine. or just below the spine.
So keeping the edge and spine true to the stone at a 45 degree angle. going back and fourth. would just like to know if im right or wrong on this question.. your advice would be greatly appreciated....
many thanks Kind regards mark
awesome video, I've always had an interest in sharpening knives although I've never tried a razor. The biggest impression this left me with though is "holy crap he's going to cut off the tips of all his fingers!" lol
Crazy4CaitlinHart Yeah! He holds the razor right at the edge on the stone
LOL! No, I haven't cut off the tips off my fingers (yet) but I have ground them off several times. Takes about 3 days to heal. I've been honing for over 50 years but I do keep a big first aid kit in the shop.
How many half strokes you did it on each of these stones8000k, 16000 30000k,? Thank
What a passionate man, that Howard. And fun to see you outside your bathroom as well :)
Brian Damm Very very passionate and knowledgeable
Nick you look different today... Hold on.... Oh I know, this is the first time I see your face straight on instead of your reflection on a bathroom mirror! HAHA Great video thanks for sharing. Cheers
Johnny Thanks! Definitely a change of pace - it was weird looking at the camera head on
I’m from Belgium, so i can get the best whetstones locally! Great info !!!!!
sucks that radio shack doesn't exist anymore. Im sure i can find something simular to that microscope on the net somewhere. I love this guy and it very rare that I like a person. his understanding of everything is amazing. I could totally hang with this dude and would listen to everyone of his fun facts with 110% attention.
Yes, there's nothing to replace Radio Shack and I miss them. I'm now getting the Carson MicroBrite from amazon.com and I actually like it better than the RadioShack model. LED light, easy focus, 60x-100x. The best deal I've found out there in optics at $12.
😂 I have that same jewlers loop from radio shack for $12 dollars from 2003 for my straights. I'm holding it in my hand now. Batteries are dead and switch needs a little work. Just got to polishing honing stroping and shaving with my 14 ebay razors from a 20 year hiatus. Screwy thing is just overnight through osmosis. I can hone polish and finally put a shaveable edge on a razor now. I can see imperfections and chips with the naked eye through the polish and glint of the metal against a good light.
Much appreciated video as I know nothing about this art. Thank you.
So after the 30k you strop it and its done? Or you do a few light passes on a natural to make mor confortable? Thanks.
after the 30k, I finish on my four plate lapping system.
Howard Schechter do you have a video for that? Never heard of it. Thanks.
About the 30k refined black edge. Won't you see any scratch pattern if you angle the razor?
That was so interesting. I don't think I am quiet ready yet to try straight razors.
garrygmc Its a whole new ball game - but is really awesome. I hope to be great with a straight razor some day
Howard...you may have mentioned and I just didn't hear, but we're all those strokes with pressure? Could I use this same technique on my Naniwa stones? I have a 1000, 5000, 8000, and 12,000. Thank you for your response.
Richard, all of the strokes are with pressure because the goal is to remove steel. It's easy to gauge on the shapton stones as they're white and I look for an even smear of gray steel across the stone. The Naniwas are good stones but you might want to try finishing on the Shapton 16,000. You'll get a better shave.
That was funny! We have the same ring tone! lol This video is highly informational! I can't decide if I really want to go to a straight.
Thanks Howard. Right now it is somewhat about the money needed to take care of a nice razor. The cost of stones, etc. I will get to the point of using a straight at some time in the future. I want a decent razor and to have the equipment to take care of it.
Sure thing! After I hone the razor, pretty much all you need is the Shapton 16,000 to maintain it. $128.Howard
Can I ever get my straight edge sharp by using the strop?
Howard. Questions on the coticule. I have many and collect them. I just bought a 12 inch one! it weighs a ton.
Anyway. Howard are you still using them? you mentioned to me in an email years ago that you always use slurry. I feel slurry can round the edge.
can you explain your process with them? Maybe a video?
Are you not stropping even after a coticule?
Nicholas, YES! I still use coticles and Belgian blues and still love them. They sharpen quickly, don't load, don't form burrs, and give a great edge. What's not to like?
I have never experienced getting a rounded edge off of a coticule. I always use a slurry. When I'm honing other peoples' razors, I go past the coticule to the Shapton 16k and 30k. In my medicine cabinet though, I keep a coticule which I use to keep my own razors sharp. Strops. I no longer use hanging strops. I do have a 4 plate lapping system I created with .5 micron diamond, CrOx, and the last two are abrasives I make myself. One is called Purple Phase and it's around 40,000 grit and the last is Zulu Phase and it's around 50,000 grit. Shaves smooth and is amazingly sharp. BTW, I only sell Select grade coticules and, from what I've seen, and what my customers tell me, there IS a difference.
Nick, the coticule market has really changed over the past few years. A lot of what used to get thrown on the slag heap is now being sold with cute French names. At the same time a lot of problems have been cropping up with cuticles such as the rounding you mention. I don't experience these problems as I only use the Select grade coticules. They cost a bit more but, if you're going to have a stone for two generations, the extra cost is minimal and amortized out over time.
very interesting, thanks for uploading!
Howard, I think I ask for everyone here.. what razor do you use?
Can someone tell me where to buy a strop and hone? I need it as I just bought a vintage razor and want to start straight shaving .I live in Canada
Very information, thanks Nick and Howard!
Howard, Dovo makes a black plated straight razor blade, would the aesthetic be ruined when sharpened?
Thanks! That really clears things up, especially the bit about taping the spine. I ended up going with Dovo's Bergischer Lowe. Worth changing the attack angle slightly in order to save the sculpted, gold plated sine.
Great video!!! Have you tried the Gillette Wilkinson Sword double edge blades? Please make a review!
jose medina I have a review up of them! Check it out
nick shaves The gillette wilkinson sword? The blue ones from india?
Great video Nick, love field trips!
Michael Thomas Thanks! I am hoping to do more field trips in the future
Interesting vid :) Positive and perfect! Thumbs UP!
spine leading always, might try that
Great video, Great knowledge gained! Thank you for sharing!
hui Heavies You've got it! Howard was happy to share some of his knowledge
Should I consider buying Shapton Glass stones or Shapton ceramic stones?
***** Shapton glass stones. They're the newest technology. The ceramic stones are old technology and fading out. I've been using the Shaptons for many years now and couldn't recommend them more. They give me consistent and repeatable results. The biggest variable is the razor itself, the steel, the heat treat, and the previous honing history. I've received blades which were sharpened on a belt grinder and that takes the temper out of the steel immediately. A blade like that will never work properly.
Awesome, field trips with Nick!
Paul Parker Glad you liked it! I hope to do more
What do you think about using a dremel to hone a straight razor? I had a professional sharpener recommend this. What do you think?
+Howard Schechter Thank you for your reply. I thought a dremel would be disasterous on any straight edge razor. I had a well-known pro basically tell me that whoever told me this is incompetent. Thanks again.
Working on straight razors is more like working on jewelry that is heat treated. I fix a lot of blades that get messed up with Dremels, Foredoms, WorkSharps, and belt sanders.
how many passes with the 8k,16k,and 30k?
Also with knife sharpening people will go from heel to toe. is this also done with straight razor or only back and forth?
I do push and pull strokes to set the bevel and then refine the edge the same way. There are many ways to sharp!
can i send my old radiumite for a restoration