Advice on a wavy edge

My latest project is a Cadman and Sons Bengall razor. It's cleaned up and now at the repinning stage so nearly good to hone up.

This one has some character and I love this about it. Even with my very limited honing experience it's clear that whoever used this, and I'm guessing it was just one person based on the following, had a bit of a quirk to their honing/edge restoration style. The edge has a slight wave - overhoned nearing the tip and another overhoned dip nearing the heel. I think they probably had a narrow hone and wobbled their wrist/elbow up and down. I'm basing this on the fact that I've done it!

So the thing has a slight ripple, on a flat surface light comes though about an inch of the tip and 3/4 inch a little way in from the heel.

This means I have an old razor with the character of the previous owner honed into the blade, and I quite like this. It almost seems rude to remove it. My question is then:

- is it possible to hone up a slightly wavy edge and it still be useable? They must have done it, but can you copy another mans edge?
- if this isn't wise and I want to use it (I do) then is it bread knife time, re bevel and hone?

If you need pictures, please let me know and I'll get some up.

Thank you

Well, straight laps will make it harder to hone. Its always easier to follow the way its been honed before. I would use a heel leading stroke and rock it on the hone. This should follow the way it was honed before. Or you can do straight laps for hours perhaps until you get it all flat. Not an easy hone if you don't know how yet. Or rolling x stroke. See posts and wiki on this. Good luck.

Is the spine straight or does it have a smile to it?

Pictures are always nice to help people like me visualize what is going on. :)

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Originally Posted by McBrautigam

Is the spine straight or does it have a smile to it?

Pictures are always nice to help people like me visualize what is going on. :)

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It's got a straight spine, here's a pic!

Attachment 149274

Hopefully you can see the wavy edge, I don't think it's too bad and I really like the suggestion from bill3152 to try and keep it.

What's the view on the shave quality if I manage to pull it off?

I'm very inexperienced at the honing and this should be a good challenge! I picked the razor up very reasonably and I don't think it's a particularly rare beast so I'm not very concerned about making a mess of things at this point. If I do try to keep the wave, I got good results (after a while...) on my last honing effort where one side of the razor had more hone wear near the heel than the other by watching the water movement carefully to keep the edge on the hone and I'll try that this time too.

Good luck, that edge needs alot of work.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Good luck, that edge needs alot of work.

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Sounds like my 'I don't think it's too bad' is just beginners' naivety. The good news is that's generally what gets me started on a project :)

It looks like a frown(could be the picture) and the heel looks like it needs a little grinding. I would magic marker test it and see where the hone is contacting. Depending on what the test tells you, (try different strokes to see where it contacts the most). If that area 1/3 of the way from the heel doesn't touch, you have a bit of steel to remove to get the edge straight. You could try a narrow hone, but if you are going to keep it, you only have to straighten it out once. It has a slight smile(may be the picture also).

That edge seems to have both a smile and a frown. If you don't care about it, go ahead and try to hone it. If the razor is meaningful to you, I'd suggest sending it someone with more honing experience. If you want to keep the edge profile as is, you'll find it very difficult, and I'm not sure it is worth it.

Since you're asking for opinions.... I'm keying on the fact you are new to honing. I would put this one up until you have some experience with less difficult projects.

The toe is fine, it's the frown toward the heel that's the problem. You [I]could[I] hone it flat. If you want to keep the original profile you'll need narrow hones or good technique (X strokes). Either way should not be too difficult -- BUT you'll need the right hones and more experience to do it efficiently. So put it up and work toward the point where you can take it out, look at it with a (more) practiced eye, and realize "Yeah, I got this."

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Originally Posted by pcb01

Since you're asking for opinions.... I'm keying on the fact you are new to honing. I would put this one up until you have some experience with less difficult projects.

The toe is fine, it's the frown toward the heel that's the problem. You [I]could[I] hone it flat. If you want to keep the original profile you'll need narrow hones or good technique (X strokes). Either way should not be too difficult -- BUT you'll need the right hones and more experience to do it efficiently. So put it up and work toward the point where you can take it out, look at it with a (more) practiced eye, and realize "Yeah, I got this."

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You're spot on. Pretty much brand new to honing, with one success rebevelling to razor sharp under my belt. But nothing like this...

I think you confirm the profile was created on a narrow hone to start with which would mean the only hone I have access to for the rebevel and sharpen is...wait for it...my Grandad's old Coticule! Narrow and short, but fits in the hand nicely. After a browse of the honing forum last time I used the Coticule I think this might just add a little bit to the challenge... :rofl2:

Good advice, thank you.