# Yet another sharpening thread.....with a difference



## MrTeroo (14 Jan 2017)

Does anyone sharpen their Gillette Sensor Excel or similar blades?

They cost a fortune and only seem to last for two or three shaves. Any jigs or tips for attempting this?


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## katellwood (14 Jan 2017)

Stick them in a pyramid

https://pyramidrazorsharpener.wordpress.com/


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## morturn (14 Jan 2017)

Throw the lot away and get an old fashioned double edge razor, a decent shaving brush and traditional shaving soap. Cheap as chips and the blades when well cared for last for quite a few shaves.

I use open (cut throat) razors), more expensive to kick off, and a steep learning curve, but great when you get to know them.

If you don’t fancy stropping a cut throat, get a feather (cut throat) razor, Like an open razor with a disposable blade. I like these the best, as I have not changed the blade in about four years.


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## bugbear (14 Jan 2017)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls_Razor

BugBear


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## graduate_owner (14 Jan 2017)

You could go for a pack of cheapies from Asda or Tesco. They work out at about 10 pence each. Being only twin bladed, they probably don't shave as closely as a 4 blade Gillette to start with so you may want to go over the same area twice to get the same effect, but - after a few shaves both types will be starting to lose their edges. With Gillette, it is tempting to keep on using because they are too expensive to throw away after only a few shaves, whereas with cheapies you just get a new one fom the pack of ten. So overall, I think you actually get more good quality shaves from the cheap razors than from the big brands. That's what I do anyway, don't much like the look of a cut throat near my face.

K


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## Blockplane (14 Jan 2017)

Do you actually use a Rolls , Bugbear?


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## MrTeroo (14 Jan 2017)

graduate_owner":3s2cw380 said:


> You could go for a pack of cheapies from Asda or Tesco. They work out at about 10 pence each. Being only twin bladed, they probably don't shave as closely as a 4 blade Gillette to start with so you may want to go over the same area twice to get the same effect, but - after a few shaves both types will be starting to lose their edges. With Gillette, it is tempting to keep on using because they are too expensive to throw away after only a few shaves, whereas with cheapies you just get a new one fom the pack of ten. So overall, I think you actually get more good quality shaves from the cheap razors than from the big brands. That's what I do anyway, don't much like the look of a cut throat near my face.
> 
> K



Yes I have tried that but my sensitive skin just cuts up if I use the cheapo ones.

I've just been looking on youtube and stropping on leather or denim seems to be the way. Maybe I am overthinking it. I was imagining some method akin to chisel edge sharpening with a diamond stone in miniature.


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## bugbear (14 Jan 2017)

Blockplane":x6o20lg5 said:


> Do you actually use a Rolls , Bugbear?



Good $DEITY, no. Like all proper men, I sport a full set, and have for 3 decades.

BugBear


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## Phil Pascoe (14 Jan 2017)

Yes. Not having shaved since leaving school in 1972, I'm not much help. I used to get sent home from school to shave when I was fifteen - which was quite something being blond.


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## Harbo (15 Jan 2017)

+ what Morturn said - there's lots of good quality DE blades about which cost about 30p and last several shaves.

Rod


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## MrTeroo (15 Jan 2017)

morturn":fbxd5xj5 said:


> Throw the lot away and get an old fashioned double edge razor, a decent shaving brush and traditional shaving soap. Cheap as chips and the blades when well cared for last for quite a few shaves.
> 
> I use open (cut throat) razors), more expensive to kick off, and a steep learning curve, but great when you get to know them.
> 
> If you don’t fancy stropping a cut throat, get a feather (cut throat) razor, Like an open razor with a disposable blade. I like these the best, as I have not changed the blade in about four years.



I do already use a shaving brush and soap. Which double edge razor? Do you sharpen the blades?


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## Harbo (15 Jan 2017)

I use a Gillette Slimboy and a Merkur Futur razors. Edwin Jagger make good ones too.
At 30p for a weeks shaving it's not worth the bother of resharpening them.

Rod


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## SteveF (15 Jan 2017)

cheap ones from lidl, i only get 1 shave from whatever blade i use
have sensitive skin and only ever cut myself once with the lidl ones

Steve


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## ColeyS1 (15 Jan 2017)

I find a new surform blade gives the closet shave and lasts the longest [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH] I haven't shaved in years. I always use to get skin rash, so prefer short stubble.

Coley

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## morturn (15 Jan 2017)

MrTeroo":2rq255ui said:


> morturn":2rq255ui said:
> 
> 
> > I do already use a shaving brush and soap. Which double edge razor? Do you sharpen the blades?



There are quite a few on the market, Wilkinson Sword are a good blade, they work out at around 13p a blade.

Derby or Astra aren’t bad blades either, and you can still get Gillette 7 o‘clock
Feather are a Japanese double edge razor blasé that are exceptionally sharp. You need to gain some competence to use these.

I personally don’t sharpen, I just have a good well practice shaving routine. I use a pre-shave cream, Proraso and shave just after a shower or bath. However, people do sharpen double edge razors.

Rub the blade around the inside of a wet glass, back and forth. There were a number vintage of razor hones on the market, the Lillicraps razor hone was one, made from green glass. When they discovered it was uranium that coloured glass green, the then call it the Lillicraps Uranium Green Glass Patented Razor Hone/Sharpener.

This guy on You Tube knows quite a lot about traditional shaving, as you do. He has a You Tube channel 

https://youtu.be/ufG1dPmVo8Q

https://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59


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## Harbo (15 Jan 2017)

There's a device called a RazorPit which supposedly freshens up the multi blades. They claim you can get 150 shaves out of a blade using it??
Personna is another good make for blades.
And of course there is a forum- Badger and Blade 

Rod


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## MrTeroo (15 Jan 2017)

Harbo":2t9mr4m5 said:


> There's a device called a RazorPit which supposedly freshens up the multi blades. They claim you can get 150 shaves out of a blade using it??
> Personna is another good make for blades.
> And of course there is a forum- Badger and Blade
> 
> Rod



Thanks for that. The RazorPit looks interesting.

They seem to focus on cleaning the coating of dead skin cells from the blades. I saw a YT video that approached this in a different way by leaving the blade in a cup liquid soap.

I think I may experiment with two methods together. Soaking in liquid soap and stropping on suede leather.


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## woodpig (15 Jan 2017)

Not cheap but I use Rasoline with a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5. The blades last ages if you keep them clean.

http://www.molinard.com/en/rasoline/95-rasoline.html


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## Harbo (15 Jan 2017)

Looking at the RazorPit ( which you can get for £9.99) I would have thought a fine slate would do the same job?

Rod


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## MrTeroo (15 Jan 2017)

Would that not be too hard? They use a soft polymer to allow the head to make contact.

FAQ from their site:

Gillette razors have metal on each side holding the blades in place and you can not push hard enough to actually clean the blades as the metal prevent this.

Yes it can! The RazorPit has the same softness as the skin. This means that if you are able to shave with it, the RazorPit surface can come into contact with the edge of the blade. It is hard to believe, but it also hard to believe that you have to pay so much for razor blades.


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## Giff (3 Feb 2017)

....but we are woodworkers..a 2" chisel should do the trick, and save the hairs on the forearms. Maybe a smaller gouge for going round any corners..


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