Frowning Blade

I had a slightly different problem honing. I started on the 1k to get a deep chip out so I probably used about 100 light laps switching between the x pattern and just a straight perpendicular stroke. When I was done the chp was gone but the edge was concave. To give an idea I removed about a 1/16th inch of metal in the middle and almost none at the heel and toe. I flattened my 1k 3 times and attempted to fix the blade but it just got worse. Only thing I can think of is maybe the stone itself is convex but since I flattened I'm not sure. It's a dovo 6/8 with hollow gring and rounded tip and I used the tape method. Any Idea what I'm doing wrong and how to fix the blade?

Lane: two totally different honing problems here... If you don't mind we should probably move your problem to it's own thread so all the solutions don't get confused... I can do that for you if you would like :)

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Originally Posted by Lane

I had a slightly different problem honing. I started on the 1k to get a deep chip out so I probably used about 100 light laps switching between the x pattern and just a straight perpendicular stroke. When I was done the chp was gone but the edge was concave. To give an idea I removed about a 1/16th inch of metal in the middle and almost none at the heel and toe. I flattened my 1k 3 times and attempted to fix the blade but it just got worse. Only thing I can think of is maybe the stone itself is convex but since I flattened I'm not sure. It's a dovo 6/8 with hollow gring and rounded tip and I used the tape method. Any Idea what I'm doing wrong and how to fix the blade?

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I would guess that you are being heavy handed with your X-stroke. If the pressure is heavy in the middle of the blade, rather than transfered from end to end, then the result is a frowning blade.

Thank you I'll start a new thread in begginners titled frowning blade.

How can I fix the pressure problem? I used the two handed method shown on the workshop video. What could the other problem be?

Sorry but I'm not familiar with the video you mentioned. I recommend that you use only one hand for your honing.

ok. what was the second problem you mentioned?

Sorry, I don't recall a second problem.

My mistake it was posted by someone else. So could the stone be part of it or just my technique? Is there a specific way to fix the frown or just regular hone till it goes away?

To check the hone, hold a straight edge against the hone and look for any gaps between the straight edge and the hone by holding them up to a light. However, I highly doubt that your frowning razor could be caused by a less than flat hone, especially if you are using an x-stroke. Unfortunately, I think the frown was caused by you.

The first step to fix this is NOT to breadknife the blade. If you don't know what that is, all the better. Hone the razor on your lowest grit hone holding the spine off of the hone. The exact angle doesn't matter but you want to hone just the edge until you create a straight edge. (That is, IF the razor should have a straight edge, as some razors are meant to have a smiling edge.) Then try honing it again.

To deliberately hone a smiling edge, please PM JimmyHAD. He is regularly referencing a link to a barber's manual that describes how to accomplish this, but I don't recall how to find the link. Jimmy will easily be able to provide the link.

Thank you. Guess I'll have to work on technique. Not sure if it's supposed to have a smiling edge thogh the spine at least is perfectly flat and straight. What exactly is breadknifing so I can be sure to avoid it?

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Originally Posted by Lane

Thank you. Guess I'll have to work on technique. Not sure if it's supposed to have a smiling edge thogh the spine at least is perfectly flat and straight. What exactly is breadknifing so I can be sure to avoid it?

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Do you see the SRP logo blade at the top of the page? The blade smiles and it matches the smile of the spine. The spine's curvature, or lack of it, will indicate the shape of what the edge should be.

Have you ever cut a slice of bread from an unsliced loaf? That motion is breadknifing and it is only to be done on a severely damaged (chipped) blade, though in my opinion it should never be done.

Mine would be straight then. Thank you for all the help I'll let you know how it goes. Good thing this is my "starter blade" I expected to mess this one up a few times before I buy a nicer one.

Here is the link that Utopian was referring to. Give that a read and see what you think. Here is a tutorial on lapping your hone to maintain flatness. :gl:

OK I got the edge completely flat and rehoned. The toe is good to go now but the heel isn't taking the edge so i've got kind of a half frown. Want to figure out what I'm doing wrong before I keep going.