Thread: Moving up from 1K...............

Howdy and good eving to all of you, I"m wondering about a couple of razors that have given me some problems on the 1K. I just got done honning an old Soligen 5/8th straight but it took some bloody dancing moves to get it to were I would even think about shaeve testing if.
On the start of bevel setting on my Norton 1k I could for the not get the edge to pass a not only the hanging hair test but the arm hair test. I tried very firm pressure followed by very light and them after using slurry to just water just using light strokes, maybe 30 or 40 changing up between X-patterns and straight strokes, and using the marker test it always very cleanly wiped off the marker on both sides of the bevel , it did get very sticky on the TPT, but only shaved hair off my arm while actually shcving by going right down to the skin to get the edge to "mow down" the hair. I finally got it as far as I felt I COULD go with it and decided to put a layer of PVC tape on the spine and to the 4K/8K Norton.

I used an agressice Pyramid and then a conservative Pyramid according the chart put forth by Lynn A. and then and ONLY then did the edge feel keen enough to shave test with, still awaiting more beard growth for that test. My question[you know this was comming!] is do many of you have a notion that a decent shaver could hone up this way or is this a lost cause for me. I mean I not completely without experiance and the last 3 razor I do responded by the book and after finishing on 12K and Crox gave great shaves and shouldn't need touch up for some time, but when I get one like this one and another i'm thinking about I had just like it recently, I start to question what I know or "THINK" I know.

Any thoughts, aside from adjusting my meds any time soon??

Thanks for suffering through my most badly put question, have a great evening!!

tinkersd of SRP

Tinkersd,

I've got a few beautiful shavers that gave me a good run setting the bevel. I think Glen has said more than once that "setting the bevel is 90% of the work".

There's so much going on in your post above, it sounds like frustration has overwhelmed you a bit.

Take a breather. Go back to your hones, and when you can saddle up to an arm hair (while on the 1K) and it pops off, then go to the 4k. Don't take a run at the hair like you're an offensive lineman. Be gentle.

Use methodical strokes. Maybe try an X stroke with the heel slightly forward.

Good luck.

With all of the ebay specials I learned on I had a fair amount of days like that. Fortunately fewer than I used to nowadays. Some are tougher to get "there" than others. Practice will give you better, faster results too as time goes by. I found that the circles Lynn taught got me better results quicker than the X strokes in bevel setting. If it is a full hollow watch out for using too much pressure as they are awful thin and flex.

You want to be consistent and have patience. I know how frustrating it can be. Your description reminded me of the apostles asking Jesus why they weren't able to cast out a demon. He had given them the power but they weren't able and had to call him to get it done. After successfully casting out the demon he said some of this kind require much prayer and fasting. Some of the razors I've honed have made me feel that way.

When I was into it for a short time Randy suggested to me to shave test off of the 8k before finishing on the 12k or higher grits. If you can get a good shave off of the 8k the razor will benefit from the finishing up the line. If you're not getting a good shave off of the 8k you need to work at it until you do. Don't worry about the HHT, just go by cutting arm hair at the bevel setting level with the edge on the skin and popping it after you've moved up into the 4/8. That is if you have any arm hair left.

Thank you all very much for the great advice, sometimes I think I don't get all the material that I"ve read over the last couple of years with regard to Honning. [or is it Honing??], oh well, the one razor I've been particularly peeved about[I can bloody well say "Peev'ed , can't I??] just won't get to were it will do more that "shave arm hair" while wiping the skin. It will get better when I do some pyramids as set down by Lynn A. and will fairly quickly pass the marker test and under the scope looks great from top to bottom of the bevel. [top to edge, I should say. But even when it feels very "sticky" with the TPT. I"ll take you advice and go back to the hone's. I've done the before with all the razors I"m shaving with now so this one can't be ALL THAT DIFFICULT! [can it??]

I"ll get back to you on this, now to re-read everything
I"ve ever read in the SRP 'WIKI' section.

Ta, Ta, to all for now.

tinkersd of SRP

I have one razor, when honed I absolutely love, but recently I had some microchipping from stupidity. This razor is the most difficult razor that I have found to set a bevel. What I have done is first I ordered a Chosera 1k just for this razor, I like it that much (as if I needed an excuse), I then found that this one prefers that I spend a lot more time on the 3-5k level. I don't know for sure, but I think this is because of microchipping from honing.

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I have one razor, when honed I absolutely love, but recently I had some microchipping from stupidity. This razor is the most difficult razor that I have found to set a bevel. What I have done is first I ordered a Chosera 1k just for this razor, I like it that much (as if I needed an excuse), I then found that this one prefers that I spend a lot more time on the 3-5k level. I don't know for sure, but I think this is because of microchipping from honing.

Why do you think it is microchipping, did you see it under a scope? As I heard, the chosera isn't prone to microchip a blade, and the transition to the 5k level shouldn't be much of an issue.

I have no particular reason to think so other than the fact that it prefers more time on the 3-5k stones and it really likes softer hones like the SS. I won't place my razors under my scopes, I find the process pointless as I can make a scope show whatever I want and I don't have any previous knowledge or reference points to know what angle, lighting, etc. I have come to not trust many of the microscopy in the razor world as those who have had the time to spend with it seem to have shown what was being sought.

Originally Posted by tinkersd

Howdy and good eving to all of you, I"m wondering about a couple of razors that have given me some problems on the 1K. I just got done honning an old Soligen 5/8th straight but it took some bloody dancing moves to get it to were I would even think about shaeve testing if.
On the start of bevel setting on my Norton 1k I could for the not get the edge to pass a not only the hanging hair test but the arm hair test. I tried very firm pressure followed by very light and them after using slurry to just water just using light strokes, maybe 30 or 40 changing up between X-patterns and straight strokes, and using the marker test it always very cleanly wiped off the marker on both sides of the bevel , it did get very sticky on the TPT, but only shaved hair off my arm while actually shcving by going right down to the skin to get the edge to "mow down" the hair. I finally got it as far as I felt I COULD go with it and decided to put a layer of PVC tape on the spine and to the 4K/8K Norton.

I used an agressice Pyramid and then a conservative Pyramid according the chart put forth by Lynn A. and then and ONLY then did the edge feel keen enough to shave test with, still awaiting more beard growth for that test. My question[you know this was comming!] is do many of you have a notion that a decent shaver could hone up this way or is this a lost cause for me. I mean I not completely without experiance and the last 3 razor I do responded by the book and after finishing on 12K and Crox gave great shaves and shouldn't need touch up for some time, but when I get one like this one and another i'm thinking about I had just like it recently, I start to question what I know or "THINK" I know.

Any thoughts, aside from adjusting my meds any time soon??

Thanks for suffering through my most badly put question, have a great evening!!

tinkersd of SRP

It is hard to tell from here what the razor needs or wants.

I did not see a mention of the Magic Marker test.
Grab a red, blue, green, black marker.... what ever is
easy for you to see and wipe the edge and spine
with the marker. Give it five or so min to dry then
take the razor for one up and back visit to your
4K hone and inspect the bevel.

If the bevel does extend to the edge revisit your
1K hone. If it does then revisit the pyramid method
4k/8K on a well lapped hone. [Both the 4k and 8k need
to have the same profile. Flat is less important than
having the same profile.]

I suspect one of three things. Incomplete bevel set, nasty burr,
or micro chipping. The bevel is best set at 1k but may
need perfecting at 4k. A burr or micro chipping can be addressed
by a light touch, the pyramid method, circles, and a smooth
even stroke. The light touch is perhaps the most important
component.

So first the magic marker.... and if you can find one
a 10 magnifier to look at the edge.

Other things to consider are warped spine &/or blade wear into the stabiliser which would lift the heel off the stone. It may help to post pics

The thing that really stumps me is when you use the marker test at the 1K level and it completely removes all the marker from top to bottom and I still get no response when trying to shave my arm hairs, and it still acts like I over honed when I know that I didn't. By that I mean I will go slowly and check often counting my strokes and if I really feel I have a "Fin" develope, will "Back Hone" on the 1K to remove the over honing fin. No gents, I have successfully done a number of razor bevel settings and this one just stumps me. Its a Soligen made blade, older model razor, but could it be just a bad piece of steel???

This is me, going crazy in Ohio!!

tinkersd [Again![30]