Thread: Best hones for different types of razor steel??

Are certain types of hones better or worse for honing different types of blade steel?

For example, I have 2 razors - (1) Dovo Special made with carbon steel, and (2) Dovo En Vogue made with cold tempered stainless steel. I have 4 Norton stones (220, 1000, 4000, 8000) as well as Belgian Blue Stone and a coticule. Honing the carbon steel blade on any of my hones is significantly different (to me) than honing the stainless steel blade. I hone primarily with my Norton stones.

Would a different type of hone, such as DMT or Shapton be better honing cold tempered stainless steel? My impression of DMT or Shapton hones (I've never used either, impression generated by reading about them) is that they are a bit harder than Norton hones or even Naniwa hones.

Thoughts please?

Are you having a particular problem with the edges you are now getting on the ss razor?

Bob

Yes. Honing the stainless steel takes a lot longer and I don't seem to be able to get it as sharp as I'd like. Way more time than honing the carbon steel. So, I started thinking that maybe, because the stainless steel is harder, different hones than what I have might work better. I really like the look of the stainless steel blade I have and I don't want to over hone (if that's possible) and ruin it.

I believe there is a saying. Soft steel hard stone, hard steel soft stone. Although I don't really know if it really matters or not.

Originally Posted by kjbarth

Yes. Honing the stainless steel takes a lot longer and I don't seem to be able to get it as sharp as I'd like. Way more time than honing the carbon steel. So, I started thinking that maybe, because the stainless steel is harder, different hones than what I have might work better. I really like the look of the stainless steel blade I have and I don't want to over hone (if that's possible) and ruin it.

OK, all I have used for hones are Naniwas and hone both regular carbon steel and stainless steel razors with them. I also use tape on the spine when honing and finish on a 12K Naniwa. Doing that I have not found a huge difference between honing the two types of steel. The stainless may take a bit longer on the hones but not much.

The only things I could suggest is to go very lightly with the pressure on the stainless blade especially so on your finisher. If the stainless razor is more hollow ground it is less forgiving of pressure when honing. You could also try doing a spine leading stroke or two followed by a couple of normal strokes when you are done on the finisher.

Sorry I can't be more helpful than that but a more experienced member should be along with better/different suggestions.

Bob

If you have good stones, then you just need experience. Yes, sometimes experienced honers will change up on stones they are using while setting the bevel...but if you truly know your stones you can hone any hone-able razor. I personally use Shapton GS stones, they are as hard as you can get (ceramic). I learned to hone on Naniwa Super Stones and learned to hone anything.

Spend time on the stones and learn them.

Most of the time the answer to these questions is: Spend more time at bevel set & less pressure.

I try to avoid over-complicating things.

Consequently, I use my (Naniwa) stones in the same way, no matter whether I hone a carbon or stainless steel blade, with the only possible exception that a stainless steel blade may require a few more strokes.
I believe this is in line with recommendations that Lynn made in his honing videos.

There is some anecdotal evidence that the chromium in stainless steel makes stainless these blades a tad more difficult to hone but that they then keep the edge longer, but looking at my Friodurs ice-tempered stainless steel blades I find them not more difficult to hone than my carbon razors.


B.

'Good steel, good hone - bad steel, trashcan' - Steve56 lol.

Stainless can be more wear resistant and take a little longer on the hones. Also, some hones cut wear-resistant steel better than others, you just have to try them. One exception, the Shapton Glass HR series was designed to cut the stainless Lie-Nielsen plane steel, and they'll cut anything that I've tried so far. I actually prefer the slower Shapton Pro series for carbon razors. Jnats can cut as well or not much, those you just have to try.

Cheers, Steve