Thread: Setting a bevel on my W&B wedge

I got this razor on eBay and I hand-sanded it until it looks okay. Now I'm trying to set a bevel and, being a novice honer, I am really feeling frustrated. I'm doing 40 circles then 20 X strokes on a Norton 1K . . . like, a million times. The edge never seems to get sharper. I test it on a tomato and the tomato is laughing at me. I've included some pix. Suggestions?

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/9chjlcmmlmh3a8c/iqqLNx0hAH

If you actually cut a tomato with it it will stain the razor & all your sanding will be for nothing.

I know you don't want to hear this but leave that razor alone until you get some more experience on easier jobs.

There are a number of things to consider with such jobs. First of which is the original spine & hone wear & how to deal with it.
The spine will define the edge & your stroke has to follow it but the geometry of the razor may simply be preventing you from achieving a bevel with your current skill set.

A couple of things I can see:
It looks like you're not contacting the heel on one side, unless it's the lighting & your last pic looks like you're honing into the barber's notch ?

Yep, it looks to me like you are creating more problems than you originally had. Not 1 part of the bevel looks even and it looks real tall near the toe. At least the spine is covered :<0) If I were you I would look for a member close by to assist your honing skills. Otherwise you might have a mess real soon.


Testing on a tomato I understand why you might think that is a good idea but believe me it's not. It's a razor not a knife

Moo, that razor needs breadboarding,! Please be careful, or ur going to "trash" that blade.
We have many members that can professionally hone it. A couple of notable masters are gssixgun ( Glen) & Lynn. There fees are very affordable!
Regards,
BloodBath

Originally Posted by BloodBath

Moo, that razor needs breadboarding,!

Ooh I really wouldn't do that.

Yeah, I don't think he needs any more ideas just the help.
If you were a little closer to being able to do this we might be able to talk you in but really, onimaru55 has the best advice.

10pups & onimarus& moo,
Didn't mean to suggest that "moo" Do That ,but to seek professional help.
My apologies,
BloodBath

I truly appreciate the feedback. The wavy, uneven bevel looked like that before I started. Also, I got the tomato test from Alfredo (Doc226) in a thread on B&B.

I'm going to give it a rest until I can get together with someone who knows what they're doing. I like this blade, and I don't want to screw it up completely. I was able to hone a full hollow blade to shave-ready after hand-sanding it, but this is another animal.

With gratitude for all the good folks here on SRP.

If that were my blade I would forget honing and go back to sand paper and San out that bevel. I would have never moved up in grit on a restoration let alone start honing until I works out some of that honeware. Then again fwiw I try not to buy anything that has any 'funny' looking geometry.

Your intentions are good, but you gotta learn to not drown in the bath before trying to swim in a hurricane (well so to speak)

IMO I would use this razor as a practice restoration, get it looking as good as possible, and than sit down with a loal mentor and learn the ropes on the rocks.

Good plan. That razor is going to need some expert hands to straighten out. Hard to tell from pics but it looks like it may have a frown or warp. Which just makes it all the more fun to fix. Looks like it could be a darn nice razor though. Definitely worth the wait and effort.