Thread: Sharpening question

Were your razors honed with tape? If so, that could be creating a bit of an issue. Not a big one mind you. See if they had tape on when honed it should have tape on there when touched up as I read it this is what you are trying to do. I'd find this out before continuing. If you are honing without tape and the previous guys used tape then eventually you will get to the edge but it will take a bit longer.

The rabbit hole can be very deep.
Ejmolitor37 has an interesting point.
It is actually fair
Y important for new honers to use tape. Once you can get through the bevel set without wearing out the tape you then get to the tape optional part of the skill set.
There have been a lot of new guys stuff a blade from no tape and too much spine pressure.
Going to a meet will up your game way faster and you will learn some very subtle aspects of honing.

I'll be honest and say I'm not sure about the tape.. The razors that I do feel comfortable putting on stones are a 3 month old Aust from Maggards, Year old Dovo also from Maggards and Heljstrand bought from recommended ebay dealer ryanrod that came with great hone.. This Crown I'm working on I used the 4000 side with Lynn's video showing me the way.. No tape and bevel looks to have come about pretty good but thin.. I was nervous about taking too much off on this thin of a blade..

The tape is about preserving the spine and the geometry of the razors.
Too much pressure on the spine wears the spine away much faster than the edge and it really quickly winds up off in geometry and appearance.

I am very looking forward to attending a meet.. I have Maggards set for their next one as it's only about 4hrs away.. It's not until June tho so about the only meet I see in the near future is the Northern Michigan winter meeting my fresh shaved cheeks.. Ughh

Thanks again for all the advice. Looks like I'll ease into the honing at slow steady speed, get a lower grit stone and rest of essentials and put the time in on some of these less expensive razors I keep pulling out of that damn hole.. Peace everyone and I'm quite sure I'll have a lot more questions..

Yep.. that diagram looks a lot like the edge on this Crown I did myself.. No tape. Should I reset this thin blade using tape on the 4000 again or would you suggest waiting for 1k stone and tape? Thnx

Originally Posted by TCMichigander

Yep.. that diagram looks a lot like the edge on this Crown I did myself.. No tape. Should I reset this thin blade using tape on the 4000 again or would you suggest waiting for 1k stone and tape? Thnx

You could certainly add a piece of tape and do the work on your 4k. You will perform x strokes until you have a clean surface clear to the edge. Check your progress as best you can. You will start to see the "new " bevel being removed and the progress being made

Good deal.. I will give that a go. If you guys don't mind after I reset this can I PM someone with pics of the edge? Or rather pay on the forum?

So I hope this translates well,
This would be honed with tape. Edge clean and successful to the edge.

This would be the same edge honed without tape. The line in the middle shows the "new" bevel you would be cutting. This could explain why they are sharp but not what you expect. Hope this gives an understanding of what could be going on.