Honing razor with wide bevel..

Hey guys,

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to tackle a razor with a fairly wide bevel?

Thanks!

JF

You hone it the same as any other. If for some reason you consider it to be problematic, you could tape the spine and that would cut a slightly narrower bevel.

Is your concern aesthetic or functional?

More of a functional issue.

Okay, so did you create the wide bevel or did you find it that way?

The width of the bevel is entirely a function of geometry. It is produced by the amount of steel required to be removed in order to establish a straight line between the very edge of the blade and the spine. Bevel setting is the elimination of all steel needed to convert a "U" shaped cross section of the edge into a "V" shape. So the bevel width is a function of the grind of the razor and the thickness of the spine. A thicker region of steel near the edge will result in a wider bevel. A worn spine will also lead to a wider bevel.

The razor was bought new with a factory set wide bevel. I've managed to set the bevel myself, but I find that it lacks behind in sharpness when I reach the refining stage.

Are you still working on this same razor?????

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...g-ti-c135.html

Hehe yep! I got it fairly close to shave ready using Bart's Unicot method, but It's still not where I'd like it to be.

Has the bevel noticeably widened from the time you began to hone it to now?

Not much. Maybe a little, but not significantly more. I dulled the razor on the bottom of a glass and went to town on the coticule with slurry until the razor was shaving arm hair all across the blade. The next step is where is sort of went down hill. I don't know if I'm doing too many or not enough passes with the diluted slurry.

I'm sorry, I'm not criticizing the method, but I have never understood the point in pre-dulling the razor. I suppose I might if I didn't use a microscope to assess my bevel progression.:shrug:

Regardless, you're going to have to assess whether or not you've got the bevel set. That's the hallmark, critical, make it or break it, here we go decision point. Aside from geometry, the bevel would also widen if you are using so much pressure that you're flexing the blade. If the bevel is set, you need to lighten up on the pressure and move on up the progression, even if that progression is just along one of the coticule paths. If the bevel is not set, then you might want to put on a layer of tape or two to finish it.

Try diluting slower, this may help you. When I tried this method my coticule needed a very slow transition from slurry to water to make the edge keener, some can transits faster to water and be keener and more finished. Yours may be like mine and need more strokes and less drops of water in a longer period.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dups

Not much. Maybe a little, but not significantly more. I dulled the razor on the bottom of a glass and went to town on the coticule with slurry until the razor was shaving arm hair all across the blade. The next step is where is sort of went down hill. I don't know if I'm doing too many or not enough passes with the diluted slurry.

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Just use water and make 200 passes if this wont satisfies you then go head send it out. gl

Complicated unknown variables like diluting watered slurry and such are troublesome for new guys. That's why I always recommend learning on the norton 4/8k waterstone, you just hone on it, flip it and hone on it. As long as its wet you're okay and you learn more about edges than slurry consistency.

Since you like the idea of using your coticule for it all though, by all means try out what I suggested and see what happens.

Success! Got the razor to pop hair!

awesome good to hear!

You may need to add more sharpness to the edge to get a good shave, I would finish on water and test.

Now get it to shave!

A razor with a wide bevel likes to stay on the hone for a very long time!:)
There really is no short cut other then sheer persistence. It will get sharp ...just at a much slower rate. Keep at it!:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

I'm sorry, I'm not criticizing the method, but I have never understood the point in pre-dulling the razor. I suppose I might if I didn't use a microscope to assess my bevel progression.:shrug:

Regardless, you're going to have to assess whether or not you've got the bevel set. That's the hallmark, critical, make it or break it, here we go decision point. Aside from geometry, the bevel would also widen if you are using so much pressure that you're flexing the blade. If the bevel is set, you need to lighten up on the pressure and move on up the progression, even if that progression is just along one of the coticule paths. If the bevel is not set, then you might want to put on a layer of tape or two to finish it.

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The rationale, as I understand it, is to use it as a tool to help you know when the bevel is set. If someone is honing a razor that has a micro-bevel, and they aren't using the same brand/thickness/number of layers of tape, or if there is any truth to the rounding bevel theory from pasted stropping, once the razor shaves arm hair after being pre-dulled on glass, you can be sure that the bevel is set. Otherwise, they could potentially get false-positives from their testing.

On razors in good shape, it really doesn't take long to get it back to shaving arm hair again, but on razors that I've honed previously, I don't ever do that.

But, as you mentioned, it's mostly beneficial to those who don't use microscopes for checking their bevels.

So how did the shave go? We're eager to hear about how your progress is going! :)

The shave was very nice. Sharp and smooth!