What do the experts say about the open razor
DOVO in German Solingen has been the world market leader in open razors for decades. Hundreds of razors are produced daily in the factory. The artisanal method of production has been carried out in the same way for over a hundred years. At DOVO, several dozen craftsmen work daily with much love, passion, and craftsmanship to make very beautiful razors.
As soon as you start using an open razor, maintenance comes into play. Some employees at DOVO have specialized entirely in sharpening and polishing razors. In this blog, these experts tell everything about the maintenance and keeping the open razor sharp.
What is a sharp razor?
An open razor and its sharpness first start with a little bit of theory about physics, geometry, and materials science.
What is the sharpness of the razor blade? The edge or fold of the razor blade is a triangle. The sharp angle of this triangle defines the cutting edge and sharpness and is related to the angle of this triangle. The sharper this triangle, the sharper it becomes. Cutting material with a knife is also called 'wedge cutting'. Your blade essentially drives like a wedge through the material. The wider this wedge, the harder it becomes to cut the material.
The angles of the edge of an open razor must be ground evenly. So that the extremely thin tip of the cutting edge of the blade can cut your beard hair in the best possible way. Of course, it is always a compromise between sharpness and the blade's ability to hold the angle of the edge. That is why DOVO sharpens their razors at an angle of about 15°. This angle is the golden mean. This angle ensures that the razor remains perfectly shaving-sharp for a long time. It is necessary to find the right balance between a long lifespan and maximum shaving comfort. If DOVO were to sharpen the blade even thinner (the angle then becomes less than 15°), the blade would become very dull after a few uses.
The razor blade
The razor blade or edge of the open razor is hollow ground. Some blades are "full hollow ground" or "half-hollow ground." The basic shape of the razor blade is a triangle. During production, the blade is manually pushed between 2 rotating round grinding wheels, giving it its hollow. Hollow grinding the blade is the only way to get a super sharp edge while still maintaining sufficient stiffness.
The skin of your face is not even; there are curves, dimples, wrinkles, and many different rounded corners. Thanks to the "hollow ground" and flexibility, the razor blade glides smoothly and effortlessly over your skin. This ultimately ensures a comfortable shave and a smooth shaving result.
How long does a razor stay sharp?
On the internet and shaving forums, sharpening experts talk about the razor's ability to hold the "edge." How long can a sharpened open razor withstand the stress of shaving before you need to sharpen it again? In other words, how long does the blade stay sharp?
You need to consider aspects that affect the razor, such as: the material of the blade, the hardness of the beard hairs, shaving technique, and how the blade is maintained. Equally important is that the razor glides smoothly and comfortably over your skin and shaves well. The design of the blade and the right metal alloy are crucial. DOVO takes this into account. The hardness of the carbon steel of DOVO's open razors is about 61 HRC. If the razor is used regularly, it stays sharp long enough. Unlike, for example, a regular kitchen knife, a razor is directly on your skin. DOVO could of course choose harder steel for the blade, but then the blade would be much less flexible and therefore less comfortable to shave with.
Stropping and the 'Hanging Hair Test'
Every razor at DOVO undergoes the 'hanging hair test' at the end of the production process. The sharpness of the blade is tested by this test. A single human hair is held between two fingers and pushed against the razor's edge. The blade is truly sharp only if it cuts the hair in half without much pressure.
All straight razors are hand-sharpened, polished, and inspected by experienced staff in five stages from coarse to fine.
On the first sharpening plate, the bevel is ground with a 320 grit to a 0.1 mm thin blade. Then it is sharpened with 1000 grit on the second sharpening plate. On various whetstones of 5,000, 8,000, and 10,000 grit, the razor blade is further sharpened step by step. Finally, the blade is stropped on a leather strap with a small amount of iron oxide paste.
The leather strop or razor strap is not meant for sharpening the straight razor. Why do you need to strop or polish the razor on the strop after every shave? Every time you shave, you crumple the razor's ultra-thin bevel edge on a microscopic level. Your skin and beard hairs bend the bevel and cause microscopically small grooves and wrinkles. By letting the straight razor rest for at least 48 hours after shaving, much of the bevel edge naturally rises again. Stropping the blade on the leather strap gently smooths the mistreated metal. The shaving ability of the straight razor is preserved longer.
Sharpening the straight razor
You sharpen the straight razor on a sharpening stone or whetstone. How often you need to (have) your razor sharpened depends on how often you use it and how you handle it. A well-maintained straight razor can be used for more than a year without needing sharpening. For example, if you shave every day or do not take good care of the blade, you will naturally need to sharpen it more often. Sharpening is also necessary if you drop the razor and damage the edge.
Sharpening the straight razor properly is a skill in itself. Incorrect sharpening can ruin the sharpness of the razor. Sharpening is something you need to learn. If you want to sharpen your razors yourself, DOVO advises starting with a cheap second-hand straight razor. This way you can safely practice your sharpening skills.
