Thread: Can't get it shave ready, help!

Hello everyone, here's my situation: I own 2 DOVO's (a Bismarck and a Flowing), the Bismarck I got it from Straight Razor Designs after the Flowing (not from SRD), the bevel on the Flowing was quite good straight out of the box, but evidently the edge honed by Lynn on the Bismarck was better, however there wasn't a screaming difference between them. After a few months the edge on the Flowing stopped performing the way it did. I tried to hone it but I think I might have made it worst (I tried to hone it with tape on the spine).
Here's my question: Should I make an attempt to reset the bevel with tape, then hone it ou should I just hone it assuming the bevel is good? I know most of you guys will tell me to send the razor out to a honemeister, but I live in Brazil, so we can scratch that possibility, I need to do it on my own.

The equipment I have available for the task is: a norton 4/8K, a naniwa 12K, and some ChOx.
What do you guys think?

I don't think you made it worse by taping the spine. That should have made it easier to touch up the edge by setting a micro bevel because I don't think factories use tape to set the bevel. Maybe just start from square one and reset the bevel with a taped spine and hone up from there continuing to use tape on the spine. You are about to learn that honing a straight has a long learning curve but as you say you don't have much of a choice. You have the equipment it seems but a good edge won't happen overnight.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I really appreciate the help. Do you sugest a honing process based on the equipment I have at hands?

Oh boy, that is a tall order to ask of a novice honer like myself. There is info here Category:Honing - Straight Razor Place Wiki and here Honing videos - Straight Razor Place Wiki. You can search the honing section too for info. I had to learn on my own too and it was not easy and I am still learning. Study the info and ask for clarification on any points you are in doubt about. Remember if you get frustrated, and you will, with your progress in honing just put down and go back to it when you feel more relaxed.

Bob

My suggestion is put a post in the honing forum. Many people start out with the Norton 4/8 and I know may set bevels on the 4 so they will be able to guide you and give you the info you need to make a real go of it. Good luck. Ed

I've moved this to the Honing Section where it will get more views and more help for you

You can achieve a shave ready edge with what you have…it's exactly how I started. Try the pyramid method and see how that works out for you, it's virtually fool proof. And nothing wrong at all with a layer of tape on the spine, it's how I and many other hone razors. Best of luck and let us know how it works for you or if you need any more help.

When you start with a shaving razor and it begins to lose the edge,

HONING is not the first answer.

Stropping with paste is. A few strokes, carefully. Then back to webbing/leather/face.

If that doesn't work. Touch up with high-grit stone, little to no slurry. OR, in the alternative, a very few strokes on a Barber hone. Follow with pasted strop, etc, test.

If that doesn't work, you may have fundamental errors to correct, in your technique or razor.

If you tape the spine on a razor that wasn't taped before, then you'll get the micro-dual-bevel. is fine-should shave and eventually it will become one bevel. If you don't tape and the razor was taped before, you'll start cutting the top edge of the bevel and not the cutting edge. Either way, you should be able to see the difference. Pick a way and stick with it for best efficiency.

Maybe you can upload pics of your edge and set up?

Re-setting bevels shouldn't be needed by normal guys shaving with properly sharpened razors. Glen showed that in a test where he tried to "over-hone" a razor. IIRC the conclusion was that a good regimen of pasted stropping can keep an edge fresh for a very long time.

Try to find the video where Glen shows full stropping afterward, might be part 3 of a "One-stone hone" series. I forget which stone. He uses two levels of paste, then canvas/webbing, then clean leather.

Keep in mind that shavers should move backwards through the process just to maintain an edge. Most of the honing videos are about REFURBISHING an edge from mower-blade dull, to a shaver.

HTH

Here is just a bit of info about honing using the Norton 4/8

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html

The best part of this thread is it includes everyone's opinions from Newbs to Pros really some good info there

Another good read that might help you..

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...tml#post908878

Reading that Beginners Tips brings out a question also of what is a "Shave Test"


http://straightrazorpalace.com/video...-test-vid.html



Hope all that helps, Good Luck