Thread: What bevel to aim for in restores?

I've been getting most of my razors from ebay and the like, and each and every one of those has needed bevel resets. Some have needed major work and been butter knife blunt, others not quite so bad. I bought my hones early and have been working on honing all the while, starting with the easier and doing what I could to each razor. I've always had a stack that I can't hone just yet, because my technique and understanding hasn't progressed far enough yet. I'm all out of "easy ones" now and so have to start meddling with the more difficult edges. I now have a couple razors that I'm struggling with. One is a regrind, the other (probably) the result of bad honing. My initial perception would be to re-establish the edge so that it will in fact lay flat with the spine as a guide. Like, put the entire spine flat on the stone, then hone the razor like that. Different razor shapes can make this approach impossible, specifically when the distance between the bevel and the spine is not consistent along the edge, or if the spine is not straight. I guess the same problems would arise in warped blades.

The question is how to approach these problems. Am I just over complicating things? The ideal would be to have an even bevel all along the edge, and if that means lifting, tilting or honing on the edge of the hone, then that's what you do. Or do you try to straighten out the kinks, and rework the abused areas?

Any inputs appreciated

Well sir the ideal angle for the bevel is between 16 and 20 degrees with 18 being the median of course. Your approach of laying the blade flat with the spine and edge of the blade contacting the hone is correct for a razor without any of the problems you mentioned then use the standard X stroke.
If you have a blade with problems such as an uneven spine or warped blade the only way to hone this type of blade and get good results is to use a narrow hone in the 1 1/4 inch width range give or take. Then using the X stroke the contact should be pretty even all across the blade.
A narrow Coticule would be my choice to do the work your talking about. All Coticules are not the same so it would need to be one that cuts pretty fast or you'll be honing for hours setting the bevel.
I'm sure others will have similar methods that may help just as much.

One last thing: If the current bevel falls outside the ideal 18 deg you can add layers of black electrical tape before you start if there is considerable hone wear of the spine.

I remember when I first started honing razors that were challengeing, I would break up bevel set in thirds or sometimes halves with a mini easier to repeat roll. I would first start with the heal 3rd, keeping angle and contact points of spine and bevel the same for each stroke. when bevel set then go on to middle then toe.
Be patient and don't press down to hard as these kind of blades only have small part of bevel touching and are easily damaged.
If blade spine is hollow with smile, although they are great shavers, if your rolling x stroke is not the same each time your edge will not reach it's potential.