Thread: Expert Advise Required

I could be wrong but Ive seen this sort of thing on warped blades.
It usually get ground out though, does the other side have a wider bevel in the middle and a thinner toe/heel?
If its this I would put a lot of pressure on the toe/heel on a coarse hone, which may result in a slight smile until you get even contact.
Additionally I've been known to wear the spine down also, What is the spine wear like without the tape, is it flat?
It doesn't look to drastic so shouldn't require a regrind. I would re grind though if once corrected you got fat bevels or excessive spine wear.
The bevel does look a tad big for my taste, it just means longer time on the stone.

Originally Posted by Deckard

I could be wrong but Ive seen this sort of thing on warped blades.
It usually get ground out though, does the other side have a wider bevel in the middle and a thinner toe/heel?
If its this I would put a lot of pressure on the toe/heel on a coarse hone, which may result in a slight smile until you get even contact.
Additionally I've been known to wear the spine down also, What is the spine wear like without the tape, is it flat?
It doesn't look to drastic so shouldn't require a regrind. I would re grind though if once corrected you got fat bevels or excessive spine wear.
The bevel does look a tad big for my taste, it just means longer time on the stone.

The spine has never touched the hones without tape.
The other side of the bevel is not as fat as the dodgy side, its perfect and all of it touches the hones.
The messed up side is a bit fat because I've been trying to hone it flat.
I now know that isn't gonna happen, I've removed a hell of a lot of metal and still it wont make full proper contact on a hone.
I have been working both sides to try and keep it even but I have given more pressure and violence to the uneven side causing it to get a little bit fat.
My most expensive razor this is, titanium scales ha ha :/

Originally Posted by JOB15

The spine has never touched the hones without tape.
The other side of the bevel is not as fat as the dodgy side, its perfect and all of it touches the hones.
The messed up side is a bit fat because I've been trying to hone it flat.
I now know that isn't gonna happen, I've removed a hell of a lot of metal and still it wont make full proper contact on a hone.
I have been working both sides to try and keep it even but I have given more pressure and violence to the uneven side causing it to get a little bit fat.
My most expensive razor this is, titanium scales ha ha :/

If that part of the edge isn't touching on that side, I would be inclined to get a bit of ware on the spine. I would remove the tape and on a fine hone just see if I get no wear in the middle. Correspondingly on the flip side if the blade is warped the spine would rock and you would get a lot more wear in the middle than on either side of the spine. If this pattern emerges the blade is warped.
The other solution to this is to hone it on a narrow stone and if required employ a rolling x stroke.

Joe

Thanks for everyone help.
I have contacted the seller/creator ( I cant think what you call a razor maker) manufacturer?
He says that he has never had any problems before and to send it to him to hone it up.
tomorrow ill pack it off to USA from UK and wait to hear from him and hope customs don't charge me again :/
It will be worth it in the end ..

Originally Posted by JOB15

Thanks for everyone help.
I have contacted the seller/creator ( I cant think what you call a razor maker) manufacturer?
He says that he has never had any problems before and to send it to him to hone it up.
tomorrow ill pack it off to USA from UK and wait to hear from him and hope customs don't charge me again :/
It will be worth it in the end ..

A good call.
I'm sure he'll get it back to you in perfect order!

Originally Posted by JOB15

The spine has never touched the hones without tape.
So even the maker honed it with tape ?
The other side of the bevel is not as fat as the dodgy side, its perfect and all of it touches the hones.
The messed up side is a bit fat because I've been trying to hone it flat.
If one side is perfect & the other not it is a fault with your honing or the razor's grind is uneven on that side or both.
I now know that isn't gonna happen, I've removed a hell of a lot of metal and still it wont make full proper contact on a hone.
As above
I have been working both sides to try and keep it even but I have given more pressure and violence to the uneven side causing it to get a little bit fat.
My most expensive razor this is, titanium scales ha ha :/
Well that was a bad idea. You may not realise but the lighter the pressure the more contact you make with the edge. Hopefully the maker can sort it for you.

btw A hazy finish on the bevel can be achieved with a 1k stone & slurry . It is not an indication of anything other than that there is slurry on the stone used.

Originally Posted by JOB15

Thanks for everyone help.
I have contacted the seller/creator ( I cant think what you call a razor maker) manufacturer?
He says that he has never had any problems before and to send it to him to hone it up.
tomorrow ill pack it off to USA from UK and wait to hear from him and hope customs don't charge me again :/
It will be worth it in the end ..

I have had to send razors back to the manufacturer for repair (cracked horn scales) in the past. If you state on the customs/shipping documents that the item is returned for repair and has no commercial value you will hopefully not encounter any issues with customs.

Here are the instructions I received from Dovo in case this helps.

"DOVO Stahlwaren Bracht GmbH & Co. KG MERKUR Stahlwaren GmbH & Co. KG Boecklinstr. 10 , 42719 Solingen/Germany
Phone: ++49 212 230010 – fax: ++49 212 313612 - email: [email protected]
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RETURNING ITEMS FOR REPAIR/SHARPENING
Recently, customs here in Germany has become a lot stricter than it used to, because there are new regulations, enforced by the European Union, that all customs authorities of member countries have to observe.
This also includes returns – for repair or sharpening – and requires us to comply with the new rules, otherwise we cannot get the goods out of customs, and eventually they will be returned to you.
In order to prevent that, please assist us by observing the following points when returning any of our goods:
1. The returns must always be accompanied by a proforma invoice. This invoice must be attached to the OUTSIDE of the parcel.
2. Please use the price you were charged with for the product, stating the currency. If you still have it, please provide a copy of the sales receipt.
3. Please mark on the customs declaration that you need to fill in: RETURNED GOODS.
4. Please put the following sentence on the proforma invoice: DEFECTIVE GOODS, NO
COMMERCIAL VALUE, VALUE FOR CUSTOMS PURPOSES ONLY.
5. Please email us a copy of the proforma invoice, so we can prepare the necessary documents
for getting the parcel out of customs here in Germany.
Thank you very much in advance for your assistance in this matter, it should make the whole process easier and faster, which is in our mutual interest."

Originally Posted by JOB15

Thanks for everyone help.
I have contacted the seller/creator ( I cant think what you call a razor maker) manufacturer?
He says that he has never had any problems before and to send it to him to hone it up.
tomorrow ill pack it off to USA from UK and wait to hear from him and hope customs don't charge me again :/
It will be worth it in the end ..

They most likely will.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Things I have learned after honing a few razors

1. Very few razors have perfect geometry
5. The ultimate goal of honing and shaving with a SR IMHO is a Close, Comfortable, Shave not a pretty even bevel. (Not that we all don't love them)

1) - isn't it a shame? that's what makes the razors that have a dead even bevel and a perfect grind such pearls. It seems to me about one in 4 that I've gotten would fall into that category, and maybe fewer. When a razor with perfect geometry intersects with one that has a size and grind that you like, it's enough to make you go Ray (which is like gay, except the object of your affection is a razor)
5 (and 4) ditto that - it's a shame to waste steel, and a shame to lose track of the shave. The razors may be warped a little, but our skin bends a lot!

Most who criticize razor grinds have never made one. Getting a final grind on a razor perfect is tough, real tough. Once you have made one, you really come to respect those super thin & perfect bevels. You can't truly tell until you take the blade to the stones. I have two razors that I have to take back to the grinder sitting on the counter right now as the final grind wasn't "just right".

I am sure your maker will make it right on your razor no matter.

Now, lets talk about your heavy hand and those shapton's. STOP IT!! Shapton glass stones are rather aggressive stones & don't require a heavy hand. Heavy handing is not in a razor honors guide book. Even when pro honers make blade modifications/corrections, they let the stones do the work.

Some notes for you:
-New stones need a good lapping to remove the "skin" and to get them true
-If you flex the steel, it's too much pressure.
-Change the tape often. Watch for tape wear. Change between "grit/stone" changes
-Shaptons work best no slurry & quite wet. I'm a shapton junky too & I have tried most all the other stones & they are my preferred stone.
-If you can't get a good shave off the 8K, you need to rest your jnats. (When I was learning to hone I would shave with a blade before I put a finishing stone to the blade, this was my honing mentor's recommendation. It would let me know if I had honed the blade right or not.)