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Posted

Hi,

My wife bought me a new straight razor called Fromm 72R. It's from Solingen and is stainless steel. It's full hollow ground and seems to be of medium quality.

I have honed it with diamond paper to 0.1u and stropped it with the usual strop but have had no luck with it. My last one was very old but I cracked the blade.

While I know that this is a violin making site, I wonder if anyone can offer advice as sharpening things is a matter of course to makers. I am often very good at sharpening myself.

I would like to use this razor as it was a gift.

I hope this isn't too offbeat.

Thanks,

Pete

.

Posted

Have you examined the edge with a strong magnifier? Perhaps the manufacturer supplied it somewhat dull to make it safe until it gets to the end user, and it simply needs more honing to get the two bevels to meet. Did you raise a burr while you were honing it? Without seeing it, that's all I can think of.

Posted

The 72 R seems to get poor reviews but mainly because they arent shave ready like a Dovo . But other than that there is no real reason that it shouldnt work but usually needs quite a bit of work to get it in a usuable condition. One of the main criticisms ive read are a very poor grind from the factory. Do you have a photo of the blade?

Posted

Hi,

My wife bought me a new straight razor called Fromm 72R. It's from Solingen and is stainless steel. It's full hollow ground and seems to be of medium quality.

I have honed it with diamond paper to 0.1u and stropped it with the usual strop but have had no luck with it. My last one was very old but I cracked the blade.

While I know that this is a violin making site, I wonder if anyone can offer advice as sharpening things is a matter of course to makers. I am often very good at sharpening myself.

I would like to use this razor as it was a gift.

I hope this isn't too offbeat.

Thanks,

Pete

.

 

You might've oversharpened it. :) Take it back to the stone, spine held down and hone it until you raise burrs both sides 2-3 times and then straight to the strop. Use the spine to keep the angle shallow. You could try hone it on glass - it'll cold work the edge and that helps a lot.

Posted

Thanks for the replies.

I have read some reviews of this razor and as fiddlecollceter noted, they were not glowing yet I was not expecting shave ready. I think Carl is correct here. This is a case where not so sharp is scary.

Pete

Posted

Here in Ireland, we have access to things called safety razors. Some of them have several blades, so you can shave twice or even three times, all at once, so to speak, and save yourself a fortune in time.

 

Recently, there has even been a move to electricity, with manufacturers experimenting with miniaturising finger bar mowers and the like, small enough to be hand held, and powerful enough to tackle the toughest hair.

 

Google it. It's all out there.

Posted

Here in Ireland, we have access to things called safety razors. Some of them have several blades, so you can shave twice or even three times, all at once, so to speak, and save yourself a fortune in time.

 

Recently, there has even been a move to electricity, with manufacturers experimenting with miniaturising finger bar mowers and the like, small enough to be hand held, and powerful enough to tackle the toughest hair.

 

Google it. It's all out there.

Incredible! I hope we get some new developments like that soon. For years I've been scraping down the stubble with a sharp rock! :D

 

I have my grandfathers King Cutter. It cuts OK, but I've never had the nerve to shave under my chin and the neck area. It's an art to sharpen and maintain these blades, and I'm not sure that I have it sharpened to it's full potential.

Posted

Incredible! I hope we get some new developments like that soon. For years I've been scraping down the stubble with a sharp rock! :D

 

The rock comes sharp, or you sharpen the rock?

Interesting movements forward.

I've been sanding my face with river gravel... then again, I have a full beard.

River gravel - sharpening with a rock... what's to follow?

Posted

Tsk...you guys are missing out on the straight razor revival...

Something about facing life and death situations first thing when you get up each morning...

...not to mention the superior shave!

Posted

Tsk...you guys are missing out on the straight razor revival...

Something about facing life and death situations first thing when you get up each morning...

...not to mention the superior shave!

 

Yes, I understand.

 

Straight razor revival... sounds worth attending the 'world conference' for...

But, I'll be outside - pacing the street -  protesting with a "sign" on my face.

 

Oh well, and so it goes!

Posted

(snip)

I have honed it with diamond paper to 0.1u and stropped it with the usual strop but have had no luck with it. My last one was very old but I cracked the blade.

(snip)

 

Hi Pete - nice to hear that there are still some people who appreciate close shaves. I retired my first razor after 50 years and my second has just passed the 10 year mark.

 

Some time back I scribbled something on putting an edge on a straight razor for the Internet Cello Society site - and they archived it!

 

I'll see if I can retrieve it.

 

cheers edi

Posted

I had to sign back in when I saw this thread.    If those multiblade safety razors keep growing blades they'll end up as cheese graters.    There should be an annual gold plated cheese grater award for who ever makes one with the most blades.  

 

I use a cutthroat straight razor sometimes just for fun but usually use one of those old fashioned safety razors that only has one blade.  You remember those?  one replaceable blade with two sharp edges.   There was a slot in the back of the bathroom cabinet to drop the used blades into.  I bet the house I grew up in has a lot of old blades inside the wall.  

 

I use grandad's old Aloxite razor hone to sharpen.   Not sure what grit size it is,  maybe 50,000 or something like that.  

Posted

I used one all through college, copied my father who never used anything but a straight edge. Strange made out of stainless.  The ones I have I assume are from special steel. Comparing high carbon French kitchen knives to German stainless, stainless will lose for holding an edge in my opinion.

Posted

I use a strop with green polish for everything.  Once my chisels are sharpened the first time, I keep touching them up with a leather strop coated with green rouge.  My teacher always remarks on how sharp my tools are.  Initially, I power strop them with green rouge (an oxymoron?) on a 10" wheel made of some sort of laminated paper.  You can get these from woodworking supply companies.  After that, a hand held leather strop with green rouge is all that is necessary to keep them in top shape.  I can't stand dull steel.  Of course the downside is that if you even brush against one of my tools, there will be blood.

Posted

Tsk...you guys are missing out on the straight razor revival...

Something about facing life and death situations first thing when you get up each morning...

...not to mention the superior shave!

 

Before or after coffee?

Posted

...neither hubby nor my two sons are capable of growing a beard... ^_^

 

But they prefer regular safety razors...the more blades the better.  My straight shaving info comes from a friend who loves the entire process.  Hot towels, sharp blades...the whole 9 yards...

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