Thread: Overhoning on Jnats

I'm wondering if it's simply because the fast cutters are fast or if it has to do with the suction they impart to a blade as you use them. Wondering if it could also be too many circles when using slurry.

Coming off the Norton I wiped a less hard (Dovo hardness or so) blade off after 40 circles on my Oozuku w/ very light slurry & was shocked at how much swarf was present, even though it was hard to see much of a color change in the slurry!

Really interested in the properties behind this. That & it's kind of fun to debunk the idea that "naturals don't overhone".

First of all each stone is individual, some are very slow some a re faster.
You need trough trial and error to determine how many laps to do after you highest synthetic to get the edge where you like it.
Have you gone past the bevels being sucked on the stone? If you keep going you will reach a point where the bevels slide on the stone as if it is butter, as soon as it gets there stop. That works for me very very consistently. There is the possibility that you are doing too many laps too, so you have to play with the count also.
The way I see it, overhoning is simply making the edge way too thin such that it can't survive a full shave. In essence there is a bit of a compromise between how thin the edge is and how durable it will be.

Tried that on a razor today & it seemed to work--the feedback followed that pattern from slurry all the way to water. I think I've been getting the stone too wet in general--any more than the thinnest film & the stone can chatter & stick on some razors more than others, muting the real feedback.

Is anyone else palm stropping a bit before the final finishing strokes on water? Alex recommended it in a post & I've been doing it since. Seems to not do any harm @ any rate.

UPDATE:

Test shaved off 3 razors using this approach--all 3 were really nice w/ the Genco being extremely sharp but still smooth--the sharpest of the bunch. My trusty W&K Gunmetal was the smoothest & even the temperamental Piper & Taft shaved really well as soon as I realized I was raising the spine too much.

THe Gunmetal & P&T were very good, but I'm going to see if I can squeeze a bit more out of them--just a few strokes on water & testing I think should do it. (This stone is pretty fast on slurry & I think closer to average on water).

Mainaman
A very astute observation and an elegant description overall.

Originally Posted by mainaman

First of all each stone is individual, some are very slow some a re faster.
You need trough trial and error to determine how many laps to do after you highest synthetic to get the edge where you like it.
Have you gone past the bevels being sucked on the stone? If you keep going you will reach a point where the bevels slide on the stone as if it is butter, as soon as it gets there stop. That works for me very very consistently. There is the possibility that you are doing too many laps too, so you have to play with the count also.
The way I see it, overhoning is simply making the edge way too thin such that it can't survive a full shave. In essence there is a bit of a compromise between how thin the edge is and how durable it will be.

I think at some point, it is pretty easy to foil an edge with too many strokes when finishing. Pressure is also a big consideration. When you see sparklies at the edge under the microscope, you know you have done this. With most of my natural stones, I try to do 10 X strokes after coming off an 8K with water only and only the weight of the blade pressure. From here, I will strop the razor and test it to see where it is. If it is close, you may only need a few more strokes to get there. I also try 10 strokes with a very light slurry followed by 10 X strokes on water and test the razor. Using fewer strokes at first, in my opinion, really helps you dial in the particular stone.

Have fun

Lynn
In this case when you mention "foil" are you meaning a la Sherlock Holmes or a la Alcoa Alumunium? Alx

Originally Posted by mainaman

The way I see it, overhoning is simply making the edge way too thin such that it can't survive a full shave.

This is what over honing is and close to how you will find it explained in old books.

Doing more strokes than necessary is not over honing, although that might seem more logical

Originally Posted by Piet

This is what over honing is and close to how you will find it explained in old books.

Doing more strokes than necessary is not over honing, although that might seem more logical

overhoning is the result of more strokes than necessary, how many more vary, but when you learn how a particular hone behaves it is not hard to figure out when to stop.

Originally Posted by alx

Lynn
In this case when you mention "foil" are you meaning a la Sherlock Holmes or a la Alcoa Alumunium? Alx

It would be more on the Alcoa Aluminum side and that is just what it looks like under the scope. Little pieces of foil at the edge.

Have fun.