Thread: stainless steel

is there anyone available to offer up some advice about honing stainless steel (other than, don't do it!)

this is really ridiculous. it's a dovo stainless steel and it's making me want to throw my naniwas against the wall!

it was quite dull to begin with, but not an old razor. it's giving me a heck of a time.

also, regarding the pyramid method. after setting the bevel with a 1k or 2k - does one jump to the 5k and work the pyramid between the 5k and 8k OR does one work the pyramid between the 2k and 5k - dry rinse repeat with the 5k to 8k?

thanks in advance
jason

have you checked if the razor shaves hair after the 1k? FRom your description it seems like you have not set the bevel right.
I have not honed stainless Dovo yet, but I have honed other stainless and to me there was no difference from carbon steel.

i must not be doing something right. i'll try it again.
thanks
jason

Jason, as many experienced honers have noted the bevel setting is the foundation of the honing process. Are you getting a positive TNT in the bevel setting process ? Once that is achieved you needn't use it again but begin to rely on the TPT and shaving hair on the arm or leg. Once the razor is keen enough to achieve a positive result with those tests begin the pyramid.

Lynn has good results with the 5/8 and I expect you will too if you are using adequate technique. The pyramid may have to be repeated. Check out this vid of Lynn honing here.

not KNOWING the feel of the TNT or TPT I'm not sure it's right. i realize that may seems silly, but hey. i forgot about the TNT, honestly, but did use the TPT. someone described the TPT as tickling...i didn't get that all. so i'm not sure what that is supposed to feel like. with regard to shaving hair...affirmative. i certainly feel the razors could be sharper, but i have no hair on either arm now. so, maybe i did okay. also, i've only honed 6 so far and the fact that i can get them as sharp as i did makes me feel okay. i just wish i could acheive the result a little faster. in time and with more questions i suppose.

I do thank all of you. having never really been on a forum - you guys are truly very helpful folks. cuttin' the learnin'curve fer the newbies...gracias.

jsbutts

Stainless steel = EVIL... RUN AWAY!!!!

I still hate the idea of honing a SS blade... I think I'd send it out if I had one ... But thats me

Originally Posted by jsbutts

not KNOWING the feel of the TNT or TPT I'm not sure it's right. i realize that may seems silly, but hey. i forgot about the TNT, honestly, but did use the TPT. someone described the TPT as tickling...i didn't get that all. so i'm not sure what that is supposed to feel like. with regard to shaving hair...affirmative. i certainly feel the razors could be sharper, but i have no hair on either arm now. so, maybe i did okay. also, i've only honed 6 so far and the fact that i can get them as sharp as i did makes me feel okay. i just wish i could acheive the result a little faster. in time and with more questions i suppose.

I do thank all of you. having never really been on a forum - you guys are truly very helpful folks. cuttin' the learnin'curve fer the newbies...gracias.

jsbutts

With the TNT a dull blade will skate across the nail as if it were glare ice. As an edge develops keenness it will pull as it goes across the nail. A well set bevel will feel as if it is digging in as you pull it across (lightly with only the weight of the blade). Using the TNT it may feel sharp for parts of the blade but dull for other portions. It may feel rough. Good to have a microscope or eye loupe to check the quality of the edge at that point. When it is uniformly smooth and digging in your ready to check with the arm/leg hair and the TPT.

For the TPT , as Randydance suggested to me a while back, using a known sharp edge such as a new DE or single edge blade will give you the idea on how it should feel. As in the TNT on a dull edge your thumb pad will skate along the edge. With a keen edge it will catch, or feel as if it wants to dig in. Getting to know these tests will help cut the time it takes to hone an edge as you'll have a better idea where you are as you are progressing.

Originally Posted by jsbutts

is there anyone available to offer up some advice about honing stainless steel (other than, don't do it!)

this is really ridiculous. it's a dovo stainless steel and it's making me want to throw my naniwas against the wall!

it was quite dull to begin with, but not an old razor. it's giving me a heck of a time.

also, regarding the pyramid method. after setting the bevel with a 1k or 2k - does one jump to the 5k and work the pyramid between the 5k and 8k OR does one work the pyramid between the 2k and 5k - dry rinse repeat with the 5k to 8k?

thanks in advance
jason

Jason you never said exactly what is the problem?
giving you heck of a time? what is the exact your problem then we can help you more.
GL
example blade doesn't get sharp enough?
anything else. so on

First you should buy a small microscope from Radioshack or Amazon.com. They help a lot, you can check the bevel at 1k and see if you're done or not.

when at the 1k level you should hone until ALL of the edge is beveled from heel to toe of the razor, the microscope comes in hand for this. Are you Naniwa stones lapped also? They should be flattened before you use them.
Once the bevel looks uniform and shaves your arms well, ONLY then do you move up in grit ranges. A 12k stone is there to finish the edge and that's it, no sharpening is needed at this level of hone.

As you move up from 1k all of the nexts hones just sharpen the bevel you set and replace their scratch pattern over the old 1k pattern. Again this is where a microscope is handy, you can see where your hone is missing the blade and adjust your stroke for that.

You basically just repeat this process all the way up the hones. I only use about 20 strokes on a 12K naniwa and then the razor is done, there's no need to be trying to sharpen on that hone.

SS blades are just harder to remove steel but they're bascially the same to hone, it just takes more time on 1k level. A short cut you can do is use tape on the spine for SS.

Also a question: why are you trying to hone when you're new here and may not know how to shave well with a straight razor (That takes 6 months of practice a lone, never mind honing edges)? I would send the blade out and practice with stropping and shaving over honing for a while until you can shave like a pro and strop without dulling razors. Hopefully our advice helps, welcome to the most addictive website ever!

Originally Posted by Disburden

SS blades are just harder to remove steel but they're bascially the same to hone, it just takes more time on 1k level. A short cut you can do is use tape on the spine for SS.

Also a question: why are you trying to hone when you're new here and may not know how to shave well with a straight razor (That takes 6 months of practice a lone, never mind honing edges)? I would send the blade out and practice with stropping and shaving over honing for a while until you can shave like a pro and strop without dulling razors. Hopefully our advice helps, welcome to the most addictive website ever!

May I ask if using tape is then required for all subsequent honings and touch ups (maintaining a constant bevel, etc.)? I just acquired my first hone and am completely in the fact-finding/experimenting stage, so please don't mind the questions...
A related comment: at this stage, I'm shaving consistently well and can recognize honing quality based mostly on shaving quality and smoothness. I use the microscope to see what's going on with the edge/bevel, but it is much harder to me to calibrate my thumbpad or thumbnail to determine what needs to be done next. I've had some of my best shaves on razors that did not seem particularly sharp by TPT or TNT, and forget about the HHT - never worked for me, even with freshly honed razors from experts. So, for me, this is the hardest part. Hope this isn't too far off the OP 's topic.