Thread: Removing nicks from a blade

You do need a better progression at least to 8K and a proper strop.
You can easily undo a proper honing with a rough synthetic strop, which may be the root of your edge problems.
Good strops can be purchase for around 50 dollars, check SRD for a nice beginners strop.

I have nothing to add to the great advice you already received.

My comment addresses your request for step by step directions. That's impossible to do. Honing is really a play it by ear skill.

There are too many variables. You are one and the razor is the second and the hones you use are another. You access the problem and decide how to start and monitor your progress and as need be alter the methods as you go.

We can only give general advice. That's why honing is a skill.

Thanks to all of you guys for replies, I have found them extremely helpful

I have decided to add one more combination stone to my arsenal,
So I am already having, 3000/10000, which NANIWA you think would close the gap?
I am given to understand that coarser grits have bigger impacts on the blade but it is not good for finishing as it will not produce a fine edge right?

Also, the strop I am having is a reasonably good one, also German-made so I seriously doubt the dullness would be caused by strop, because by shaving experience got better as I was handling stropping better.

I have a shapton glass 500 that I use to get chipping like that out. I hone it out, draw it through some wood to rip off the foil and then go onto a 1k followed by the rest.

Originally Posted by kcb5150

I have a shapton glass 500 that I use to get chipping like that out. I hone it out, draw it through some wood to rip off the foil and then go onto a 1k followed by the rest.

Naniwa Combination Stone, CS-101/510, grit: 120/1000 | knivesandtools.co.uk

What do you think of this one? It's Naniwa so quality's gonna be fine, price is also reasonable.
Is 120 grit really different than 500? I'm given to understand that coarser grits are tougher so they remove materials faster, so I can hone remove nicks with 120 somehow faster than the time it would take me to hone with 500?

Originally Posted by heyjude

Naniwa Combination Stone, CS-101/510, grit: 120/1000 | knivesandtools.co.uk

What do you think of this one? It's Naniwa so quality's gonna be fine, price is also reasonable.
Is 120 grit really different than 500? I'm given to understand that coarser grits are tougher so they remove materials faster, so I can hone remove nicks with 120 somehow faster than the time it would take me to hone with 500?

Yes you will get the nicks out quicker but leave very deep striations from a 120 stone that you then have to hone all the way out. It wouldn't take that long to just remove the nicks with a 1k and at least when you're done you can move on. When learning it is a better idea to go slowly and less aggressive as you can easily botch it with something aggressive. A 1k stone used properly can be quite quick.

Originally Posted by eddy79

Yes you will get the nicks out quicker but leave very deep striations from a 120 stone that you then have to hone all the way out. It wouldn't take that long to just remove the nicks with a 1k and at least when you're done you can move on. When learning it is a better idea to go slowly and less aggressive as you can easily botch it with something aggressive. A 1k stone used properly can be quite quick.

In that case, I do not really have to use 120 grit just 1000 right?
From my limited experience 3000 grit is not rough enough to get the job done, I hope 1000 will do the job