Thread: FAQ: Why do certain razors require more honing than others?

Suggestions for discussion only:

The honing medium will also determine how much honing is required, I believe. Or are we making the assumption that a Norton waterstone is being used?

Also, I'd question whether, for a newbie FAQ, there's a need to get into the gory matallurgic details. If people are interested in alloys, temperatures, etc. they can start a new thread somewhere to get the technical details.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Suggestions for discussion only:

The honing medium will also determine how much honing is required, I believe. Or are we making the assumption that a Norton waterstone is being used?

I dont think assumptions should be made at any point in these FAQs

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Also, I'd question whether, for a newbie FAQ, there's a need to get into the gory matallurgic details. If people are interested in alloys, temperatures, etc. they can start a new thread somewhere to get the technical details.

I cant second this idea enough.

If you guys think the technical stuff is not appropriate then go ahead without it. I do not feel it is absolutely necessary, just informative. But you guys can make that decision. I am biased in the matter so I will step aside on that point.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

If you guys think the technical stuff is not appropriate then go ahead without it. I do not feel it is absolutely necessary, just informative. But you guys can make that decision. I am biased in the matter so I will step aside on that point.

I think it depends on who the target audience is... if it's a newbie then I'd think the less technical the better. If it's a veteran member, then I'd think they would almost demand the technical detail. So, where is this FAQ going to be... if it's the newbie forum, then I'd vote for low tech content. If it's going to be in the Razor or restoration forum, then perhaps more technical detail would be appropriate.

I am updating the info that will appear in this FAQ.

Please bear in mind I am trying to find a balance here between telling a newbie enough to answer their question but not going into too much technical detail to confuse them.

I am looking for a specific type of input on this post. I suspect I may have misunderstood some things so I need to know if there is any incorrect information here.

If there is anything that I have not said here that has been mentioned in previous posts it may mean I have taken it out for reasons spoken of above. If you still STRONGLY FEEL that it should go back in then please post and let me know.

I think this answer is very comprehensive with all the input its had and i'm pleased with the responses. Thanks to all you guys! I think joe its maybe time to close this one down? Bear in mind all that this is not the be all and end all of it. If needs be it can be changed at a later date. We're just looking to get something down for now.

So without further ado....


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Why certain razors require more or less honing than others

There are a number of reasons this why some razors require more honing than others:

1. The material that your razor is made from will determine how much hand honing is required and how long your edge will remain sharp. Stainless steel for instance takes more work to achieve the same sharpness as carbon steel, but will also stay sharper longer.

2. Also it has been mentioned that if a razor has more of a wedge shape (less hollowing) it will generally require more honing to achieve the same sharpness as a razor that has been partially or fully hollowed. This is due to the amount of metal that must be removed to achieve that perfect edge.

3. If a razor has a dull edge then it will take a LOT of work just to set a bevel and get the razor to a level of knife sharpness. Razors with chips in the edge and/or corroded steel could take a lot of work before you even reach the good steel that will take a quality edge

What other factors influence the edge of the blade?

The ability to take an edge and keep it is the result of the type of metal used to make the blade and the process used in manufacture. Simple steels with few alloying elements rely solely on the formation of iron carbides for their hardness. Steels with more alloying elements require a more complicated hardening process at different heats for different amounts of time.

So it can be down to the quality and care taken with the manufacture of my blade?

Yes. The temperatures at which the blade is tempered range from 430 - 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Tempering is a softening process which also makes the metal tougher. Hardened steel that is not tempered is very brittle and not tough at all. Tempering can be done in a toaster oven, a low temperature kiln, or in a forge - be it gas or coal. Tempering can also be done in a lead bath as the temperature of molten lead is 600 degrees Fahrenheit. The end result of all this is a blade that can take an edge and stay sharp due to a variety of factors.

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The following terms appear in this post and are unexplained to a newbie. Whilst they may know what they are thay may equally not and NOT knowing the meaning makes the post harder to understand.

- Bevel
- Iron Carbides


I know I cut out huge chunks out but I had to try and strike a balance. Please dont be offended if your bit isnt in there.

Your opinions gents?

Looks good to me.

Regarding the terms "bevel" and "carbides". The Razor central document explains the "bevel" somewhat and it is a term that newbs need to know, it is a foundation term in understanding sharpness.

"Carbides" is a very technical term but also central to understanding steel. If they have a question about it then we can refer them to the Wikipedia or a book on steel.

We do not help ourselves or others by writing for the lowest common denominator. We all need to learn and thus understand.

I think you have hit a pretty good balance. Nice job!

Thank you randy

My $.02 would be to go with what you have. Faqs do not need to define/describe all the ancillary terms used in their answers. Other faqs will certainly evolve which cover most of these terms. I would be pretty confident that faqs will appear that describe the various parts of the razor, the various grinds, the geometry of the edge, etc. Probably not for carbides... at least in the newbie forum... and any newbie that thinks they need to know about carbides to get started in str8 shaving might want to rethink their priorities . It would be useful to have a good faq/discussion on carbides, etc. (ie, metallurgy) in the restoration forum.

Originally Posted by azjoe

My $.02 would be to go with what you have.

If thats the case joe then just go with it as we have it. If you could post it as a sticky and make a link to the post so people can see what they are commenting on in this thread.

Thanks everyone for your help on this one.

Ok... the FAQ thread was created and this (the first) FAQ has been posted there.