I messed up my razor

So I read an article that said it was ok to hone with sandpaper so I got 800, 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and worked my way up to get rid of a chip in the blade. I started at 45 degrees and then 30 and then went to 10 or so degrees.

I then tried to use a leather belt to hone it but I realized honing wouldnt do anything, and that it would need to be sharpened?? Right?

So my stepbrother has some whetstones but i'm not sure what grit. I read online that you can use porcelain to sharpen blades, so I used the bottom of a cup then honed. This didn't really make a difference, not sure if maybe the cup wasn't porcelain..

So... what do I do to fix this besides send it to a professional sharpener? I'm at my wit's end... the blade worked 99% fine but I got too caught up fixing it that now it's at 1%. Please help.

A photo of the razor would help but from what i read sending it to a pro for a do over might not be a bad idea.

Sorry to hear that you messed up your razor. There are a couple of options. The obvious is to send it to a pro to hone it. Or you can look into the local help section and reach out to a mentor near you for help learning how to hone properly, but if your fairly new to straight shaving then it’s best to wait on learning to hone. And if your going to learn to hone, I would reccomend to buy a cheap razor since it’s time consuming to get it right, and can drastically reduce the lifetime of a blade during that time.

Honing is done on whet stones. Stropping is done on leather. Sand paper is best used for repairs and restoration.

What kind of razor are we talking about?

First, Welcome Aboard,,,,,Attachment 278371

After reading your first post, I'm not sure we will talk you through a successful result with your razor.

My advice is to send it to one of our professionals, see the link below, first communicate with them via our PM(private message) system & arrange the work. It probably will cost little , other than the shipping costs.

My very first razor, a family heirloom from the 1830's , had to be sent out. I tried to polish it & messed it up, chipped it. A professional here fixed it as good as new.

Your razor,,,, your call.

Look through this thread & pick someone who obviously has the skill,,, PM them & see if they will fix your razor.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...u-working.html

Never hurts to reach out and ask a Mentor. There is a list of Mentors from various states on SRP. I had no experience whatsoever in honing a straight razor so I scoured the Wiki on SRP and watched numerous videos on it. Take it from me, use a razor that you have very little attachment to and is cheap to practice your honing and chip removal. I'm far from a master but I've learned a lot by messing up some beater razors. Your destruction of those cheap blades will save the others that you would rather keep around for a lifetime or two. Good luck.

If your experience with shaving and honing is reflected in your join date, then I would suggest sending it out to be the best plan. There are three separate skills sets, honing, stropping, and shaving. Trying to learn honing and stropping at the same time is usually enough, but to learn honing at the same time it brings the variables quite high and it begins to get difficult to figure out where things are not working out. If you start with a good edge, you can strike that off the variables list. There are a lot of people you can get to hone your razor, so I’m not sure why anyone would want to try to learn it all at once. If you can find a local mentor that will flatten the learning curve a little.

If you intend to take straight shaving seriously, you will need to be more careful where you take your shaving advice from.

I have never come across credible advice that you should hone a razor with sandpaper, or sharpen a razor blade on porcelain.
I’ve seen a picture once though where someone showed a brick and a razor, alluding to the possibility that you could hone on a brick, but that was meant as a joke.

In the meantime, I suggest you visit forums like this one (and there are several others) and get a feel what is “best practice” in honing, stropping, and shaving. See what many straight shavers agree upon and use it as your guidance.
If you discard the outlier (crackpot) theories, you may soon get an idea what works.
Note also that advice that may be valid for sharpening knives does not commonly apply to straight razors.

If you want to salvage your razor, send it to someone who has a proven track record in honing and hopefully it can be saved.

Don’t expect instant gratification in straight shaving.
As RezDog mentioned, this is a process where you have to learn three disciplines: stropping, shaving, and honing. Neither is easily learnt, mistakes are to be expected, and it requires patience and perseverance.

Keep in mind that we all have been at this point at some time in the past. Eventually, you may find that there is no method that gives you better shaves and that a straight shave in the morning may turn out to be something that you look foward to.


Good luck.


B.

Welcome to the forum

here is a link to find people in or near Austin.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/memberlist.php?do=search

Posting a pic of the razor and type all the words found on the blade and scales will be a big help.

As said, it might not be worth the postage to get it honed and then again, it might be a real heirloom.
We can help you make the decision on what to do.

Everyone is giving sound information.
When first learning it is best to have a pro hone your razor. And in my opinion dont try honing or sharpening at all yourself in the beginning. Its going to make your shaves very uncomfortable and you will mostlikely give up as razor burn day after day is a bad thing.

Honing a razor is done with special whetstones. Not regular one you would put a knife on. Although it is done from time to time. Honing on real stones takes months of honing to learn just like sha ing with a straight. If you put your sha ing razor on a hone, even a good hone, and dont know what your doing you will damage the edge. This is why you practice honing with a razor you dont shave with. Only test shave with it until you learn to hone.

Stay away from youtube vids unless they are recommended from members of this site as lots of folks think they know what they are doing but really have no clue.

Welcome to the forum. Take your time and learn to shave and strop. Have your razor honed by a pro from here and you will be so surprised at the difference in the edge it will be like night and day.

Not to be the annoying guy, but people really gotta give the wiki a quick read first

Here's the pics.Attachment 278398
Attachment 278399

Not the best razor to start with. Gold dollar are notorious for having geometry issues and that one looks quite rusty as well. You can pick up a nice beginners razor on the classifieds here that will be shave ready for a fair price. This will start you off on the right foot.

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Originally Posted by Grazor

Not the best razor to start with. Gold dollar are notorious for having geometry issues and that one looks quite rusty as well. You can pick up a nice beginners razor on the classifieds here that will be shave ready for a fair price. This will start you off on the right foot.

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Seconding this -- There are so many great sellers on the B/S/T threads here that it is almost impossible to not find a razor at a price that fits that will give you a great shave and be a blade that has the bevel set correctly and shows you how a properly honed razor feels... and you could get a backup to experiment with honing, if you like.


FWIW, I'm another newbie and am just starting to experiment with pasted strops and barbers hones as a way of maintaining my edges. I'm honing impaired and likely will be for a long time to come!

Watch the language also But not the best razor to start with and the advise you got on how to hone is not the right stuff, leather is for stropping, and cups are for drinking . Tc

It’s important to remember that most razors are not stainless and will rust very easily if left wet. Always make sure your razor it fully dried before storing and if you live in a humid environment you should also rub a thin layer of oil over the steel between uses.

As for the edge, you need to get a proper bevel set. Sandpaper isn’t bad for getting a chip out but you need a better system for creating a proper edge bevel and then refining it. Not all stones are good for razors either. I would recommend getting the rust off first, then getting a Shapton Pro or Kuromaku 1000 and setting a bevel on it with no pressure. It’s a quick stone and easy to use. Get something to make sure it’s lapped. Then use a Norton 4K/8K also lapped and consider a finishing stone once you can get a decent edge that way.

Alternately send it to a pro to get your edge right as a reference point. You may even want to get another razor new and honed as a reference point to work toward.

Send it to a professional. You can remove chips sometimes with stuff like sandpaper or a knife sharpening stone, but you won't be able to get it shave ready without the proper stones. Take from someone that has wasted money trying to put together a cheap honing setup, it will save you money and frustration getting your first razor honed by a professional. Gssixgun honed a couple blades for me and I was really happy with the results.
I've heard of old timers honing pocket knives on the bottom of ceramic cups, bit I would never do that to a razor.

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Originally Posted by Grazor

Not the best razor to start with. Gold dollar are notorious for having geometry issues and that one looks quite rusty as well. You can pick up a nice beginners razor on the classifieds here that will be shave ready for a fair price. This will start you off on the right foot.

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THIS. I didn't realize you were working with a Gold Dollar. Buy a shave ready quality razor. You can find them if you look for really good prices. I recently saw a NICE shave ready razor sell in the classifieds for a steal.

You were steered in the wrong direction about sharpening a razor with sandpaper. I use a belt sander for my knives, but never use it on a razor.

If you want to learn about all things straight razor related, the library here on SRP is the best source.

I would toss the gold dollar razor, or save it for practice honing in the future.

You're probably bummed out. Don't get discouraged, we all have things we wish we could do over.

Just as important as the razor you use is the strop you use. I think you mentioned you tried stropping your razor with a leather belt. Unless your belt is 3" wide, you're in for a difficult time learning to strop I'm afraid. You'd be better off getting a piece of 3"x 12" leather and gluing it to a paddle (commonly found at Hobby Lobby...). Then you can properly strop your razor.

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Originally Posted by relli1130

Just as important as the razor you use is the strop you use. I think you mentioned you tried stropping your razor with a leather belt. Unless your belt is 3" wide, you're in for a difficult time learning to strop I'm afraid. You'd be better off getting a piece of 3"x 12" leather and gluing it to a paddle (commonly found at Hobby Lobby...). Then you can properly strop your razor.

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I have to disagree with that.
If you look at vintage strops they are mostly 2 to 2 1/2 wide and proper stropping requires an X stroke, not just straight up an down. Far more importantly than the width of the leather is that the leather is flat and smooth.

Barbers must have struggled stopping for all those years.

When I look at the posts by some people that consider themselves an ""Expert"", I begin to lose faith in evolution! The tools we use have developed over time and trial and most folks advocating "change" seem to have some strange desire to confuse others.
~Richard

All I’m trying to say is if the man gets a 3” wide strop, he will have an easier time learning how to strop his razor. Out of curiosity, why does proper stropping require an X stroke? What does an x stroke do to the razor that can’t be accomplished with a straight up and down stroke?

I’m by no means an expert, ever considered myself one. Just offering my thoughts as a relative newbie, having been at this hobby for 2 years now. Sorry if my comments added any confusion to the discussion.

Straight up and down strokes work the middle of the blade more than the tip and heel. By doing so on pasted strops, and touch up hones you are actually creating a frown. On a regular strop you are not effectively stropping the toe and the heel.

Racetrack and windshield wiper patterns also work well if the x-stroke doesn’t feel comfortable.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

Straight up and down strokes work the middle of the blade more than the tip and heel. By doing so on pasted strops, and touch up hones you are actually creating a frown. On a regular strop you are not effectively stropping the toe and the heel.

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Ok. I’ll take your word for it. The X stroke always has confused me- whether on a hone, or a strop. Here is why: as the razor travels up and down the hone (or strop) it seems the toe or the heel is off the surface then on the surface ( or vice versa). So to me, with an X stroke, the middle of the razor is always making contact with the medium. But the toe and heel are not... so to me, your comment about a straight up and back stroke on a 3” strop working the middle more than the tip and heel- doesn’t resonate. If even, light pressure is applied, the razor should be making constant contact on the medium ( hone or strop).

Not trying to hijack this thread- the OP needed assistance with his messed up razor. Hopefully he finds the info he needs.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

Straight up and down strokes work the middle of the blade more than the tip and heel. By doing so on pasted strops, and touch up hones you are actually creating a frown. On a regular strop you are not effectively stropping the toe and the heel.

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I for some reason can't do an x-stroke with stropping so I work the blade back and forth with the toe or the heel off the leather for a few passes. This works well for me

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Originally Posted by rodb

I for some reason can't do an x-stroke with stropping so I work the blade back and forth with the toe or the heel off the leather for a few passes. This works well for me

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I do the same. If you move the blade back and forth so all parts of the blade receive equal amounts of stropping you will he OK.

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Originally Posted by rodb

I for some reason can't do an x-stroke with stropping so I work the blade back and forth with the toe or the heel off the leather for a few passes. This works well for me

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This would only be a result of having a strop that is less than 3” wide though right? I get what you are saying...if I owned a strop that was 2-21/2” wide I would probably use the same technique. Or are you using this technique with a 3” strop?

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Originally Posted by relli1130

This would only be a result of having a strop that is less than 3” wide though right? I get what you are saying...if I owned a strop that was 2-21/2” wide I would probably use the same technique. Or are you using this technique with a 3” strop?

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As a strop cups, curls over time and season and the usual methods of stropping take that curl into account by using the full width of the strop. I had a wide strop starting out and it caused a bit of difficulty when there was a change of humidity.
I do believe we have answered your questions and self justifications. Let it die and go to the Library to continue your education.
~Richard

With a 3" strop or a 2" strop, it will get the full edge better than a straight up and down lap. 3" is good for a beginner because he will be able to keep his razor on the strop easier, but then again if you learn on a 2 1/2 you will learn to right. This is also why a heel leading or toe leading stroke works, the entire edge will get the same amount of exposure to the leather.

It will work straight up and down, but over time it will not get the toe and heel as much as the middle. Think about how if you hone without an x stroke or windshield motion you will hone a frown over time

Another answer, if you must have a wide strop to do the work,
Get a paddle strop. It will not cup or center-raise and can give you a good long service.
~Richard

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Originally Posted by Geezer

I do believe we have answered your questions and self justifications. Let it die and go to the Library to continue your education.
~Richard

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Self justifications? I’m here to learn, asking questions out of ignorance or personal observations. Go to the library... will do. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Geezer

Another answer, if you must have a wide strop to do the work,
Get a paddle strop. It will not cup or center-raise and can give you a good long service.
~Richard

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I agree- which is why I recommended it in my original response.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

You were steered in the wrong direction about sharpening a razor with sandpaper. I use a belt sander for my knives, but never use it on a razor.

If you want to learn about all things straight razor related, the library here on SRP is the best source.

I would toss the gold dollar razor, or save it for practice honing in the future.

You're probably bummed out. Don't get discouraged, we all have things we wish we could do over.

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Just a note on the gold dollar, i bought one a few years ago just to see for myself what they are like, it as maybe $15-20 i dont remember, but yeah, it was a bit of a mess. i did however keep it and sometimes use it to burnish freshly lapped hones.

I have several 2.5" wide strops and all i do is regular strokes, my method is do some strokes hitting the heel then some hitting the toe and I alternate back and forth during my stropping session and it seems to work well. I did try to force myself to try an X stroke using a beater but all i managed to do over the couuse of several weeks was nick or lightly cut the leather so i gave up and went back to what my brain and hands were telling me was right, nothing wrong with do X's or whatever but the extire edge has to hit the leather and for me I just incorporate a few wxtra strokes to get this done and my blade and shaves seem not to suffer.