Thread: How did they used to do it?

How did people used to hone full wedge razors back in the old days before they had electrical tape? I wonder if they free-handed a bevel or kept the razor flat and treated the whole side as one huge bevel? Anybody know?


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LOL you my friend are not the only one to wonder at some of the odd things we find with the honing on them

This started for me back in 2008

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...honed-day.html


Please understand that there are quite a few "Theories" but so far little proof

That thread spans YEARS of speculation have fun reading through it

ps; There really are hardly any "Full Wedge" razors I have seen two out of 10's of 1000's and one was suspect as to being a Factory Flub.. Most are 1/4 grinds or near wedges but they had slight hollows ground when they left the factory

[emoji106] thanks Glen


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Many of us wonder that. i think Glenn is right about the slip on guide and slack pasted strops in that older thread. Possibly they free handed on spinning disks? I know I need 2-3 layers of tape on most of the near wedges and that isn't enough sometimes to match the (what I think is.) original bevel angle. Some of these old razors have been through a lot honing wise and it's so hard to tell

I did see an old American made microtome that had a slip on false spine for honing. It was a full wedge blade.

Bob

Maybe with a curved stone or just they hone them withowt tape Like chisel
Just thinking

Yeah, Bob I have seen them too and had a vision of using the tube-false spine when studying the wedge razors. It is fairly easy to make a convex angle holder for straight razors and knives, it's basis is an arced rod and solid holder at the end to hold razor.

My guess and I mean guess is in this day we are spoiled by all these hones and techniques we lose sight of the fact a guy who spent his life sharpening everything instinctively knew how to hone the tool and edge he had in front of him without any aides of any kind.

Yea, there's a good possibility they did it exactly the same way I do pocket knives - free hand. Keep the spine raised slightly off the stone and have at it. I dunno how well that would work for a razor because I haven't tried, but with a little practice it could probably be done the same. Once you get a feel for it, maintaining a steady angle isn't that hard.

I've always done pocket knives that way too. One thing that occurs to me is that if there had been fixtures, such as tubes over the spine, they probably would turn up in razor literature, and in antique shops, estate sales, old ads for barber/razor supplies.

Also I think that straight razor users of those times would be amused, or surprised, at how seriously some of us take this shaving sport. Did they have HHT 1-10 in the nineteenth century ? Did the average shaver have multiple razors and a battery of stones from all over the world ? I think we have a lot more free time and disposable income than those folks back then, but I could be wrong (you know the rest).