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Thread: Honing a smiling blade...

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    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    Default Honing a smiling blade...

    I have a vintage Wade & Butcher with a decent smile. At some point in its life it was reground. I've worked on the 1k to set a bevel and I can't seem to get the toe or heel set. The bevel is even across the rest of the edge but not at either end.

    Suggestions on how to proceed?
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    Senior Member Airportcopper's Avatar
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    have u tried changing your stroke.. rolling x stroke.. u using a 1k to set the bevel..? i may b way off with this .. but im fairly new to honing but i have tried it .. as i was advised by the pros.. put some black marker on the heel and toe change the stroke and see if its removing the marker
    Last edited by Airportcopper; 09-22-2013 at 04:06 PM.

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    I can't speak for your blade in particular but I hone them heel leading and rocking from heel to toe.Some real smilers I do toe first. Just watch the bevel doesn't get wavy.
    Airportcopper likes this.

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    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    I've watched Glen's YouTube vid.. and I do use the marker technique. That's how I know the toe and heel aren't hitting the stone.

    I was leading with the heel and rolling it, making sure to keep the spine in contact with the stone, and even tried giving a little more pressure on the toe and heel with the free hand, but nothing works..
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    Keeping the spine on the stone while lifting the toe to get the heel(part of the spine is off the hone) and repeating the stroke for the toe side, finishing with the toe on the hone and the rest of the spine off. Part of the spine remains in contact at all times.

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    Senior Member Airportcopper's Avatar
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    Is the stone lapped

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    I would consider holding off on any further honing of the particular blade as that will cause a lot of hone wear and edge wear on the center until you get an alternate stroke. Once the steel is gone, its gone.

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    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    Yes, all of my stones are lapped properly.

    Lifting now end or the other while keeping the spine touching... I was trying that but wasn't sure I was doing it correctly...so stopped.


    Quote Originally Posted by bill3152 View Post
    I would consider holding off on any further honing of the particular blade as that will cause a lot of hone wear and edge wear on the center until you get an alternate stroke. Once the steel is gone, its gone.
    Best advice so far.. And my thoughts exactly.
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    Senior Member Attila's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill3152 View Post
    Keeping the spine on the stone while lifting the toe to get the heel(part of the spine is off the hone) and repeating the stroke for the toe side, finishing with the toe on the hone and the rest of the spine off. Part of the spine remains in contact at all times.

    This^ If you don't push down too hard or go too heavy handed on it you should be alright. Another way to minimize spine wear is to use one layer of tape, evenly applied. If it is a wedge ground razor, tape is usually recommended on the spine anyways. But I have used tape for some of my harder to hone razors as well to minimize the hone wear when re-setting the bevel.

    Here is a good link at Coticule.be on the rolling X stroke.
    Last edited by Attila; 09-24-2013 at 06:19 PM.

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    Senior Member ZeroCool's Avatar
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    I still have challenges with smiling blades. For now I send them off to the pro's. Might save you some time and steel lose if you do the same.

    I've only been at this for a few years but I find the Sheffield smiling wedge to be much more difficult then more typical blades. But it should shave quite nice

    You may have better luck though.

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