A Bonus Video all about Sharp Steel
Troy talks about his preferences in outdoor knives, how to keep them sharp and a little bit about stones and steels. We wrap up with a clean up of Troy's beard with a straight edge razor and though this is quite a long video, we think it is packed with valuable information.
This is a bonus video separate to our weekly episodes, we hope you enjoy the addition to our weekly video logs.
We send this to you the evening before we depart to the Outer Reef. So apologies in advance if we don't respond to your comments immediately.
Our best wishes
Troy and Pascale
Knife Selection, Knife Sharpening and Shaving with a Straight Razor (YouTube)
Comments (19)
Sweden is my home country. Just called Morakniv and told them about this vid. Their marketing director was happy to hear and she asked me to send a link, which I sure did. Hope you hear from them! Morakniv has a large assortment of knives… so there are several models that make sailing more easy, secure and fun. <a href="https://morakniv.se/en/knife-selector/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://morakniv.se/en/knife-selector/</a>
Oh, thanks very much. I hope they don't mind me making a little bit of fun about the stealthy color of that great bushcraft knife!
Great video, loved it! And also love the mow for Movember! Cut throat razors can be bought in hairdresser kits on eBay!
Pascale is delighted that I'm keeping the 'stache for the whole month but has forbidden me to get a crew cut, as is my custom with it, in case I look like a hoodlum 😆
Hi Troy, great video! I am also a Morakniv enthusiast. I would like to tell you that you can throw plenty of sparks with a stainless knife ( but not a laminated steel knife), as long as the spine is sharpened at 90 degrees. I have sharpened my Mora Companion spines to do this, and the stainless version Mora Eldris, Garberg and Kansbol all come sharpened like this. I reckon you would really like the Kansbol, it has a barrel shape grip and the blade thickness tapers to a thinner profile at the tip. Oh, and regarding the straight razor, there is a way of testing sharpness which proves that a blade has reached the absolute pinnacle of sharpness. Take a human hair- long ones are a little easier and short ones harder- hold it by the cuticle end only and cut it while it hangs - the 'hanging hair test' . Achieving a blade that passes is really something!
A few people have corrected me on the ability of these knives to throw a spark just as you describe. Another benefit we enjoy of producing FRS is how much we learn from all of you as well! Your description of the Kansbol sounds very much like a knife I can love. I prefer a round handle with just a touch of elipse to orientate it in my palm without glancing down. The hanging hair test should finally give us s use for the various hairs that are a constant in the cockpit for some reason!
:)
Thanks
Absolutely fantastic! I love sharp tools!!! Sadly, I've never mastered sharpening any of them as I should have, especially knives! But thanks to you, I'm ready and motivated to give it another go. I have good stones, decent knives, and renewed interest, knowledge, and encouragement, thanks to you! Thank you, my friends!
Good luck with it. I find having a calm frame of mind and no distractions to be conducive to doing the best job. So just the opposite to doing it on camera! Learning to use the steel is key as once you have the edge right, a few licks on the steel maintains the blade for months between needing to pull out the stone.
I have tried using safety razors with pretty poor results, I enjoy getting a straight edge shave, I might have to try it myself.
See my comment above about my mum learning to use one by shaving a balloon years ago!
The videos get better and more informative, the only thing missing was an appearance from your beautiful camera woman.
She seemed reluctant to demonstrate the correct way to maintain smooth hairless legs with a straight razor.
Thanks for this Troy, My late Father in Law tried to show me the correct way to hone using a steel (He was a Butcher) , then went out and bought us Stainless knives for a Wedding present! Needless to say, by the time I wanted to hone any knives it had all evaporated from my brain. As for a Cut-throat Razor, I've always been scared to try one, I have a full beard now, but in my 20s and 30s, I must have tried every gimmick that was on the market, settling back to a twin blade disposable type finding that these kept sharp much longer than most of the others. I may try a Flat blade though when I retire and have time in the day to take care, Can't beat a Badger Hair Brush and proper solid shaving soap!
The thing about shaving with a blade is that it forces you to focus, slow down and do a careful job. I find anything that forces me into deliberate care is very enjoyable and feels like it adds to my quality of life. Shaving with a quality bit if german steel on a 50 year old, slow strong boat is a great summary to all the things I love in life (and Pascale of course).
Great vid Troy. When using a steel, I personally prefer to stand it upright on a flat surface and stroke the knife downwards and towards me. Five strokes on one side then switch to the other side. I find it easier to maintain the correct angle that way, and because the blade is never moving towards the hand which is holding the handle, there is no chance of cutting yourself. Your method permits faster strokes though and has more pizazz :) I like how you progressed from Colonel Sanders to Frank Zappa at the end :) Not sure what the laws are regarding the sale of cut throat razors here (NSW). I thought they could only be sold to hairdressers through specialist hairdresser supply stores (???). I’ll have to do some research. Carry on !
That does sound like a safe technique for people to learn and the ease with which you can maintain the angle is a great bonus. Lol- that's me, pizazz! I didn't know that sales might be restricted and shudder to think of the crimes that lead to such regulation. I've had that razor for such a long time so things may have indeed changed. My mum is a hairdresser and told me that as an apprentice in London, they were to shave the lather off of a balloon with a cut- throat to learn proper technique. I couldn't imagine something more anxiety inducing!
Inherited sharpening stones! What a treasure. Do be careful not to put a curve in the face from overusing the centre of the stone but as I said, they can be re-flattened. Nice to hear from you again Lars.