Can we talk about the number of times you sharpen a blade before it's done

I just counted and I've sharpened my main straight razor 47 times over three years. It still takes a good edge, but the bevel is getting noticeably wider. At what point do you guys decide a blade is just worn out and not worth the time anymore?

3 comments

3 Comments

barbaraw161mo ago

My old boss at the knife shop swore a wide bevel meant the blade was toast. I used to toss blades way too early because of that. Then I kept using my grandpa's old chisel with a bevel you could land a plane on, and it still works fine. Changed my whole view on what "worn out" really means.

gray_kim911mo ago

That's a crazy low number. I've got a vintage Wade and Butcher that's been sharpened probably 200 times and it still shaves perfectly. The wider bevel just means you're maintaining it right. A blade is only done when it physically won't hold an edge, not when it looks a little different.

charles9191mo ago

Wait, so you're saying the bevel width doesn't really matter at all? I mean, I get that it still works, but doesn't a super wide bevel make it harder to sharpen properly? Like, you'd need to remove so much more metal each time to set a new edge. Maybe it's just me, but that seems like it would wear the blade out faster in the long run.