Thread: Removing nicks from a blade

Originally Posted by DaveW

That would be plenty. Personally, I'd joint that edge to the final profile I wanted to keep and then cut the bevel. It'll make it easier to work only as much metal as needed, and you'll be able to control the profile of the final edge a little easier (otherwise it can end up dead straight, and you may or may not want that).

You'll be surprised how fast a 1k stone will remove metal with a little pressure (not too much) and tape your spine while you do the work (at least the 1k stone work), it's already got enough wear that you don't want more on it.

There's less metal to remove than you'd expect there (as in it looks worse than it is). If you take a before and after picture, aside from the nicks, you won't be able to see any visible loss in the chord of the razor)

To be honest, even with equal pressure I was barely feeling that metal was being removed from my blade on 3000 grit, was it because it was too fine in comparison to 1000 grit?

I have several basic concerns about honing:
1) Do I hone the same way like I strop just the blade is reverted, applying slight and equal pressure, not lifting the spice, etc?
2) Since it is a waterstone I just wet it with water and as it dries up during honing I wet it again, is this right?
3) What other tips can you recommend?

1) When you hone, the edge should lead up and down the hone. As far as pressure, some use pressure when setting the bevel, but after the bevel is established less pressure is used. The spine should be in constant contact.
2) Some stones need to be soaked others only need to sprayed with water.If you use the Naniwa super stones, they do not need to be soaked.
3) Be patient with yourself. Learning to hone can be frustrating process. Like others have said practice on another razor. But make sure the razor is in good condition, i.e., without a lot of hone wear, without rust along the edge, a nice profile.

Originally Posted by Mephisto

1) When you hone, the edge should lead up and down the hone. As far as pressure, some use pressure when setting the bevel, but after the bevel is established less pressure is used. The spine should be in constant contact.
2) Some stones need to be soaked others only need to sprayed with water.If you use the Naniwa super stones, they do not need to be soaked.
3) Be patient with yourself. Learning to hone can be frustrating process. Like others have said practice on another razor. But make sure the razor is in good condition, i.e., without a lot of hone wear, without rust along the edge, a nice profile.

Can you direct me to some resource that explains the details of establishing bevel and alike?
My entire razor is perfectly free of dust at this point
But when it comes to honing, If I add 1000 grit to my 3000/10000 addition, would that be all?

Begin by reading the Library, Honing/Beginers Guide to Honing and watch honing videos in Additional Resources, Videos.

Try a search for bevel setting. You will be reading for days there is that many posts. The videos by Gssixgun are very helpful and what I used while learning.

Originally Posted by heyjude

Can you direct me to some resource that explains the details of establishing bevel and alike?

Here's another option if it works geographically.

Check this list of members offering hands on help. Honing, stropping, shaving, whatever. If one is close to you, contact them by 'PM' by clicking on their user name and following the "private message" link. You'll never regret it!!

Local Help - Straight Razor Place Library

Regards,

Howard

A few things not covered so far are lapping your hones and that a one pass shave is passable but generally not that great.

Lapping involves flattening the hones using a lapping plate, good quality wet and dry or sand paper on a perfectly flat surface or using loose abrasive media on a perfectly flat surface. The general recommendation for a heaving this is to draw a grid on the hone with pencil, figure eight it on your lapping surface and repeating until all the pencil disappears.

If i do a one pass shave it will get me out of the door without looking homeless but it isn't a great shave, most likely patchy and certainly not smooth from every angle.

Also whilst you have posted pictures of your strop what material and treatment thereof are on each side?

Originally Posted by edhewitt

A few things not covered so far are lapping your hones and that a one pass shave is passable but generally not that great.

Lapping involves flattening the hones using a lapping plate, good quality wet and dry or sand paper on a perfectly flat surface or using loose abrasive media on a perfectly flat surface. The general recommendation for a heaving this is to draw a grid on the hone with pencil, figure eight it on your lapping surface and repeating until all the pencil disappears.

If i do a one pass shave it will get me out of the door without looking homeless but it isn't a great shave, most likely patchy and certainly not smooth from every angle.

Also whilst you have posted pictures of your strop what material and treatment thereof are on each side?

What exactly do you mean by treatment on a strop? You mean using a paste or something like that? In that case, I don't really use anything on it.

1) I have decided to add one more stone to my current 3000/10000 Naniwa.
Do you think 1000 grit would be enough? I'm thinking of buying a combination stone with 1000/something.
What do you recommend for a complete hone?
2) Can YOU get your razor to shave as smooth as a brand new disposable razor? In a lot of videos where people shave using a straight razor, you can hear a satisfying "crunchy" sound the razor makes when it gets in contact with the beard and a result is a near perfect shave.
That is one of the reasons why I decided to switch to str8s that and the possibility of using it forever


Thanks to ALL of you for your advice again (y)

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

Here's another option if it works geographically.

Check this list of members offering hands on help. Honing, stropping, shaving, whatever. If one is close to you, contact them by 'PM' by clicking on their user name and following the "private message" link. You'll never regret it!!

Local Help - Straight Razor Place Library

Regards,

Howard

Thanks for the tip
I have some establishments around here that can help with that, planning to visit one in near future

Originally Posted by heyjude

Can YOU get your razor to shave as smooth as a brand new disposable razor? In a lot of videos where people shave using a straight razor, you can hear a satisfying "crunchy" sound the razor makes when it gets in contact with the beard and a result is a near perfect shave.
That is one of the reasons why I decided to switch to str8s

It isn't likely that you'll get the same closeness with one pass using a single edge razor of any type as that which is achieved with a multi-blade cartridge razor. Basically because with every pass, the cartridge razor is really making the equivalent number of passes as it has blades.

Some guys with extremely soft or fine hair might get closer than those with tougher thicker beards. I need basically two passes (first WTG, then ATG) and a little touch-up to get BBS with a straight. With a very keen edge I can get a DFS with one pass WTG and a few touch-ups.