Thread: Trouble setting a bevel

I'm having trouble setting a bevel on a Norton 1k doing 49 circles each way then 15 x strokes then seeing if it'll cut hair and nada! Should I drop to the 220 side?? What am I doing wrong? I've been at it for maybe 2 hours... I'm doing it on a new dovo. I ran the edge over glass first so I could start fresh. Please help. It's getting frustrating.

Did you lap the 1k stone ? You using tape and keeping it fresh? You have a loupe ?

More advice coming but you should watch the tutorial on the pyramid method of learning.

Oh and you should be able to shave arm hair not cut hanging hair at the 1k level.

I did lap it. Yes using tape. I'm making little or no progress. Once it cuts hair then I'll move on to the pyramid but for now I just want to get the damn bevel set

Was the stone lapped and beveled?

Are you taping the spine and do you have some magnification?

Are you able to cut the same hair with a double edge razor blade?

Mark the bevel with sharpie ink and do one lap, then look at the bevel and see if you are honing to the edge.

When those razors are honed at the factory they are honed with the spine off the stone to not bugger up the spine. So the bevel angle will not be the same as honing with the spine on a stone.

First you have to set the bevel, get the bevels flat and in the correct plane from spine to edge, and get them to meet at the edge.

Here is a good recent honing thread with great photos of the entire honing process from start to finish by a new honer.

Second try at Honing

Sometimes it's better to walk away and let the frustration wear off too :<0) No sense making the same mistake over and over. Figure out a new approach and start fresh.

This thread belongs in the honing section.

There was no need to run the edge over glass. There also is no need or benefit to dropping down 220. That hone is useless for razors.

As a beginner, you do need to tape the razor's spine. If you do not, then you are likely to screw up the spine and make things even worse. Are you honing with tape? If so, how frequently are you changing it? The longer you use the tape the more it wears and the more the honing angle decreases, causing the very edge that you are trying to form to lift away from the hone. Change tape frequently if you are seeing wear on the tape. If you are not using tape, has the spine worn? Keep in mind that the pressure needs to be focused at the edge and not at the spine.

Dovos actually are pretty easy to hone and the factory edge should not have needed much more to complete the bevel set. The amount of time you spent indicates that you are doing something quite wrong, so don't continue to do that same thing.

Your best option is to try to find someone local who can help you in person.

I want to add: Stop counting. Stay on the 1k. Focus on getting each stroke right. With easy pressure and covering all of the edge, from toe to heel. Keep doing the best strokes you can until the bevel is done. When the feedback from the hone gets smoother (scratchy/rough feeling and sounds disappear), and water is coming up on the blade all along the edge (undercut) then your are getting closer. When it is done (check with loupe, thumb pad test, popping armhairs, etc.) go to very light finishing strokes on the 1k, maxing out what you can get from this stone before continuing to finer grit hones.

Good luck!

ps. If your not sure if the bevel is ready, or if you wish it is ready, or you think it's "good enough, it will get done on the next hone", then your not done on the 1k.

CharlieBrian what exactly do you mean when you say "seeing if it'll cut hair"? It may be that your bevel is set but you're doing the wrong test. Are you trying to shave arm hair at or above the skin or a hanging hair test? How much pressure did you use on the glass?

As was mentioned earlier, if you keep doing the same thing with no results you need to walk away and figure out a different approach. This is a skill that takes some time to acquire. If you've been doing circles for two hours on a 1k with a new razor you've removed more steel then nesisary.

There are some good answers above. I would like to add the question; How much pressure are you using on the hone? Razors, even on the bevel set require exceptionally light pressure. Very much pressure and the razor flexes and the edge comes up off the hone.

Honing is easy till it ain't, a great guy said that its, true,,experience will help , but for now you need to relax, what made the edge bad to start with? ,, learning to hone would be easier after you learn to shave and strop. Good luck. Tc