Another New Face From Taiwan

[James G. Keegan]

I’m Jim Keegan, a straight razor honer and user for decades

I have been working with Tom Blodgett who suggested I join here and meet some good people.

Hello all.

[Zamfir]

Howdy! What part of Taiwan? Been ages since I have been there.

[Mark76]

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum! Do you own a WEPS? And do you use it to sharpen your straight razor?

Nice of Tom to refer you to this forum. I love his blog and video’s. And I own a straight razor I bought from his…

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[James G. Keegan]

Howdy! What part of Taiwan? Been ages since I have been there.

I live in Yangmei City, outside Jhongi (Zhongli, Chongli)

Where were you?

[James G. Keegan]

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum! Do you own a WEPS? And do you use it to sharpen your straight razor?

Nice of Tom to refer you to this forum. I love his blog and video’s. And I own a straight razor I bought from his…

Thanks.

I have never known anyone to hone a straight on any machine, other, I suppose, than the belt sander guys, and they don’t produce a shavable edge.

I have used a WEPS on knives, as I have tested couple of other machines. Even to a knife machine newbie like me it seemed clear that the WEPS was the real deal. As I do increasingly more with Tom, I decided to expand what I know on the knife honing side.

I think I can do that here.

[Mark76]

There has been a topic in which a guy showed photographs of how he sharpened a straight razor with a WEPS. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were Tom. The trick involved, I think, a mod to the WEPS.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[James G. Keegan]

There has been a topic in which a guy showed photographs of how he sharpened a straight razor with a WEPS. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were Tom. The trick involved, I think, a mod to the WEPS.

I just ended a chat with Tom when I saw your message notification. I recall that I asked him if he ever tried it on a straight and he said yes when he was showing me on a knife. That was some time ago. I didn’t pursue it then but I think I will in the short term just out of curiosity. I also remembered his telling me that there were a huge number of attachments and accessories. At that time my interest level in honing knives was less than it has grown to be now (which I am beginning to fear could become yet another rabbit hole).

My “skill” at honing the knives in my household and occasionally those of my neighbors is the converse of my ability to hone straights, which is very good.

Of course, I have every expectation that my being here will better my knife skills. 🙂

[Josh]

Welcome Jim!

Yeah I sharpen straight razors only on my weps… And yes, I had to have a custom mod made to be able to do it. I will try to get you pictures soon. I normally go up through my 10k choseras (checking each grit through my USB microscope and alternating directions) then I will will do 1um, .5um strops , and finish on .125 cbn roo strops. Seems to shave really well…. Although my first wtg passes doesn’t remove everything. Good to have your experience!

[Zamfir]

I was in Hsinchu. The closest I came to Yangmei was on a Bus to go to the National Palace Museum. That was ages ago but I still have really fond memories of the trip. It snowed at the top of Yushan mountain when I was there. Which as I understand does not happen often. lol.

Welcome to the forums!

[James G. Keegan]

I was in Hsinchu. The closest I came to Yangmei was on a Bus to go to the National Palace Museum. That was ages ago but I still have really fond memories of the trip. It snowed at the top of Yushan mountain when I was there. Which as I understand does not happen often. lol.

Welcome to the forums!

Thanks.

I have been here for almost 4 years and haven’t seen snow. Probably never will. My wife who is a mountain climber sees it on some trips.

[James G. Keegan]

Welcome Jim!

Yeah I sharpen straight razors only on my weps… And yes, I had to have a custom mod made to be able to do it. I will try to get you pictures soon. I normally go up through my 10k choseras (checking each grit through my USB microscope and alternating directions) then I will will do 1um, .5um strops , and finish on .125 cbn roo strops. Seems to shave really well…. Although my first wtg passes doesn’t remove everything. Good to have your experience!

My first WTG pass removes almost everything. 🙂 But then I always do ATG and XTG anyway.

It’s interesting, the steps you mentioned are very similar to my synthetic progression. My low grit progression is probably a bit excessive but I have long held the opinion that a good base is the only way to end up with a great edge. When I finally get to the 10K, I go from it to the 15K Shapton pro, then 1um, .5um .3um .125um Nanocloth strops and then a few strop laps on clean Kangaroo. I am a minimalist stropper which is rare in the straight world, except for Tom. Most straight guys are heavy stroppers.

I use the Veho 400x USB scope.

[Mark76]

When I finally get to the 10K, I go from it to the 15K Shapton pro, then 1um, .5um .3um .125um Nanocloth strops and then a few strop laps on clean Kangaroo. I am a minimalist stropper which is rare in the straight world, except for Tom.

Is this such a progression minimal? Then I must be a really minimal stropper :ohmy:

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[James G. Keegan]

When I finally get to the 10K, I go from it to the 15K Shapton pro, then 1um, .5um .3um .125um Nanocloth strops and then a few strop laps on clean Kangaroo. I am a minimalist stropper which is rare in the straight world, except for Tom.

Is this such a progression minimal? Then I must be a really minimal stropper :ohmy:[/quote]

Semantics. When I think of stropping straights, my mind considers leather. The stropping I do with nanocloth is a part of my finishing up a hone. When I later strop on kangaroo between shaves, that’s stropping for maintenance.

On that end, I am extremely minimal

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