Thread: Sharper in the center than the toe and heel

If your hone is flat you probably have a smiling blade: the middle section of the cutting edge being in full contact with the hone all the time while the heel and toe aren't. Do you have pics?

Question: on the video, he starts off with setting the bevel with tape on the razor. Initially sets it with the tape and then removes it and redoes the bevel without tape.
Should it be just the other way? If you're setting a double beveled edge shouldn't the 'steeper' edge be set Last??

If your stone is not properly lapped, the blade would be more likely to fail to contact the center of the stone and get the opposite result from what you are experiencing. I think your stroke is concentrating on the center of the blade. If you use a very slight "rolling-x" stroke, you'll probably get better results.

Originally Posted by Johnus

Question: on the video, he starts off with setting the bevel with tape on the razor. Initially sets it with the tape and then removes it and redoes the bevel without tape.
Should it be just the other way? If you're setting a double beveled edge shouldn't the 'steeper' edge be set Last??

I set the bevel the first time with tape. I did not want to do a lot of work on the coarse hones and get a lot of hone wear on the spine of the blade. After I had the bevel set with tape, I took the tape off and and reset the bevel without tape. The tape was to prevent excess hone wear on the coarse hones.

I was not trying to get a double bevel, I was just minimizing hone wear. I always set the bevel the first time with tape on the blade, and then I decide if I am going to use tape or not during the rest of the honing process.

Using tape when setting the bevel is a good idea after/when doing repair work or restoration work on a blade. Sanding and buffing really kill the edge. In this case I had just made that blade, and this was the first time I had honed it.

Charlie

Make sure the hone is flat, and once that is done, try a varying degree of rolling X's.
How rolling really depends on how much of a smile the razor has on it.

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure the blade is NOT smiling. It's a new Dovo Bismarck and initially honed by Lynn. Since then, I have only touched it up here and there and never reset the bevel.

Hi ECL,

Condensing the contents of this thread, would it not have been more fruitful to have started it in a way like this:

"Hi guys,
I own a brand new Dove Bismarck so the blade is per definition not smiling and was shipped to me after being honed by Lynn. However, bringing the blade to the stone I do not manage to obtain a straight edge. Might it be that I'm rubbing the blade on a bastardized stone?"
Teasing you!
Joost

The straight lap is not the only stroke for honing. You have to determine what stroke will cover the edge from heel to toe. I would try a heel leading stroke and rock it as you are honing. That will get the whole edge. Most blades are not completely flat and straight. Lift the toe while you are starting at the heel and watch the water displacement. That will tell you where you are on. Or use magic marker test.