Thread: To EUCLID : Re: .. . getting to "shave ready".

- - - I am starting this thread so as not to hijack other ones. As I mentioned previously, I have a Norton combo stone - 4000/8000 K and a razor from Geo. Wostenholm, Sheffield, England.

- - - I have also acquired on your advice, a 60 X hand-held magnifier [no capability of posting a picture on this site].

- - - I stroke the razor on the stones spine leading and edge trailing, using water on the 4000 K and then 8000K. I view the razor with the 60X looking from at it in the direction from the edge to the spine until it gets to where there is a pointed edge rather than a visible flat. I am able to cut hairs from my arm, but not to shave with it.

- - - What's next ?

Your going the wrong way on the hones, your to be going edge first not trailing,, how long have you been honing? Tc

Obviously you're just learning to hone. That's fine. We all once started with no experience. Yes, you're going the wrong way. You should lead with the edge. Also, you're using an older, vintage razor. No worries. Is this a razor YOU don't mind practicing on? Practicing honing means metal wear on the razor. Again no worries, if that is what you want. You could think about a practice razor, like a Gold Dollar.

You're going to get a lot of advice here. Some good, some not worth...much. Just let me add my advice here: watch lots of YouTube videos, Lynn Abrams, others, to learn and practice honing. That's what I did. I never went to a meet up, didn't have a mentor, etc. I did call and talk to some leading guys, but you can do this. It's not that hard.

If you will take a newbie advice. Find yourself an experienced member who lives reasonably close to you. Pickup a case of beer and go visit. You will learn more in one afternoon than a month of reading.

Ps. Take your own Hones magnification and razor. You will end up with a solid razor from the get go.

Dear OP,

I've been thinking about your original post on and off today. Please understand I mean no disrespect. I see from your join date (August 2012) that you've been around SRP for awhile. There is a technique which is spine leading. I've even seen a video where gssixgun employs it. Also, you address Elucid directly. Is there more to this story that this thread does not address? You did mention you started this thread not to distract from others. What's the back-story?

So, why was the edge flat?

Is there any spine wear or rust/pitting on or near the edge?

Have you lapped your stones?

Put 2 layers of tape on the spine and sharpie ink on the bevels, colored ink is easier to see.

On the 4k, do circles, edge leading, in set of 20. 20 on one side, 20 on the other, use some pressure. Look at the ink and see if you are honing all the way to the edge and if the bevels are getting flat. After a set of 20 circles on each side, stop look at the bevels and look down on the edge to see if the bevels are meeting. Any shiny reflection are where the bevels are not meeting.

Watch your tape and replace it, if you burn through. If the razor feels gummy on the stone or you see bits floating, in the slurry, you have burned through. Inspect and replace the top layer and the bottom it you have cut it at all. Tape is cheap, replace it often.

Keeping the tape fresh, will give you a consistent thickness and a uniform bevel. If you let it burn through, your bevel will get wonky and thicker and your edge will get thinner or you may stop honing to the edge.

Keep inking the bevels and doing circles until the bevels are completely flat and meeting at the edge, from heel to toe.

On a Norton 4k it can take a few sets of circles, depending on if the edge was bread-knifed.

Once the bevels are flat and meeting, you should be able to pop arm hair. Test the toe, middle and heel.

Now joint the edge once on the corner of the 4k and reset the bevel with X strokes. Do enough straight strokes with light pressure to remove all the circular stria. Make sure your toe and heel are sharp and you are honing to the edge, ink will quickly tell you. If you need to, do more laps with just a bit of pressure on the heel or toe where needed using a heel forward, X stroke, until the heel and toe are sharp.

Spend the extra time here, and make sure the bevel is FULLY set. Do your finish strokes with light pressure. Your edge should be pretty straight, if it is ragged, joint and re-set the edge.

When all the circular stria is gone and you have a uniform stria pattern, replace your tape, joint the edge on the 8k and do edge leading, heel forward, X strokes on the 8k, until you have removed all the 4k stria.

Your edge should now be very straight. Once all the 4k stria is gone, (look at it with your magnification) replace you tape, joint the edge lightly and re-set the edge with light pressure. Make sure the heel and toe, are honed to the edge.

Strop on linen and leather and shave.

Euclid, what do you mean by "joint the edge"?

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Originally Posted by strangedata

Euclid, what do you mean by "joint the edge"?

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Drag the edge of the blade very* lightly across the corner of a stone to eliminate any chips, burrs, etc. then make a few more passes to ensure that the bevel is set properly.

Jointing, is a technique to straighten an edge and or remove microchipping.

After setting a bevel, the edge can be rough, lightly dragging the edge on the upper vertical corner of the stone, will remove a minimal amount of steel from the edge, any burrs or false edges, and leave a straight edge.

The bevels will not be meeting, but because the bevels are already flat and in the correct bevel angle. Just a few laps 10-20 light pressure laps, depending on the stone and razor, will bring the edges back to meeting.

It is an excellent technique to straighten an edge, as is stropping between stones with linen or canvas strop, even leather.

I usually joint after setting the bevel on a 1k and again after the 8k, sometimes before going to a finisher.

The trick is to use light pressure and one or 2 strokes max.

Originally Posted by strangedata

Euclid, what do you mean by "joint the edge"?

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run it perpendicular to the edge of the hone , as if you were cutting the stone with it, using ONLY the weight of the razor.

@ OP
you need to hone with the edge forward not trailing. Make sure your hones are lapped too.
Get a black sharpie and paint the bevels to see where the stones abrade the metal , that will give you clues of what is going on and what strokes you need to use to accomplish the honing of the blade.
Post pics as you go if you can so we can get a better idea of what is going on.