Thread: Quick honing question...

When you said had them for a long time I was under the impression of continuous everyday use which was wrong. Did it shave arm hair all along the edge at the 5K stage?

Bob

If the you wanted to refresh the blade should start from the 12K hone with 15-20 light strokes. It should be enough to get it back to nearly the original sharpness. But make sure that you can "ruin" the original bevel with the 5K hone, so it doesn't matter if u move up for a higher grit it's gonna be pull again. The less usage doesn't prove anything cause I have to refresh the edge of my blades after 4-5 shaves, depends your hair,prep,etc....If the blades doesn't pull after Glen hone them, then you can be sure that the problem is with the hones, bevel, or honing skills. It would try to reset the bevel on the 5K, and then the pyramid method what Laurens said. The pyramid should work if you reset the bevel.

Originally Posted by BobH

When you said had them for a long time I was under the impression of continuous everyday use which was wrong. Did it shave arm hair all along the edge at the 5K stage?

Bob

Yeah...that's why I was so confounded...and again I should have clarified better in my initial explain. But I do think your spot on about the 5k meaning not so much the bevel but still needs more 5k just the same. I really like Lynn's video method and the circles were really helping as x pattern alone in past honing wasn't always doin it for me,so I think If I keep it up I may actually develop a good honing skill ha ha !

Okay so I am signing off here now. Thanks for the input and have a good Holiday y'all

A bevel doesn't degrade. Make sure that the razor was untaped when set. To update a honing a few good passes on a finishing stone are all that is needed, for the life of the razor.

It's possible you did too much honing too. Not over honing, but you've honed enough that the edge is just getting ripped up, or your skill is being more detrimental than progressive.

I'm going to suggest you only update edges with a few passes, then add tape and try again, or buy a loop if your going to tear into it, in the future.

For now, try a magic marker test, and a thumb nail test and see if your hitting the edge and if the edge is still consistent. Then, work your way back to a smooth edge slowly. Go slow. Hones do a tremendous amount of damage to a razors edge. Use disciplined stokes and gently hone the edge with no pressure and a high grit stone.

Consider purchasing a loop or hand held micro so you can see how awful an edge looks after one 5k pass. Once you see the damage you'll spend your time more wisely fixing the damage by honing delicately with a higher grit hone.

If I owned a razor honed by Glen you couldn't pay me to put a 5k stone to it. That be like whittling a toothpick with a chainsaw.

As a forum we've got to re-address the "reset the bevel" panic that ensues too quickly.

It really does not matter who honed a razor or what it shaved like at one time, once it starts to pull it is an indicator the edge has been damaged.

It only takes one errant swipe on a strop to dull an edge. It depends on the amount of edge damage as to what will revive it.
You really need magnification.

But even without magnification if you hold the blade under a strong light looking straight down on the edge and tilt the blade a bit you will be able to see if there is any reflection from the edge. Reflection is a damaged edge reflecting the light back at you where the bevels are no longer meeting. The more reflection the lower grit stone or more time on your lowest grit stone will be needed to reset the bevel.

Even a dull razor will shave arm hair at times as you are not testing the whole edge. So one spot on the razor may shave, the damaged section will not or will pull.

Looking at the whole edge will tell you if it, (the whole edge) is sharp, bevels meeting.

And that is the problem with all hair test, hair test only tell you that minute part of the blade, that cut a single hair, is sharp.

How is your stropping method? You could be doing damage there also... Just another idea?

Originally Posted by Euclid440

It really does not matter who honed a razor or what it shaved like at one time, once it starts to pull it is an indicator the edge has been damaged.
.

I think this is too dramatic of a description. A razor that "pulls" is usually just a beginner not knowing how to shave, a razor that begins pulling might just need a slight refresh. Pulling is a pretty normal sign for a razor that has been used, by a beginner for more than 10 shaves, or an expert for a few months.

It is not an automatic conclusion that the edge has been "damaged" and needs to be re-set. Although it's true that the problem could be caused by anything, and the correction needed could be intensive, it shouldn't be our first recommendation.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

As a forum we've got to re-address the "reset the bevel" panic that ensues too quickly.

As the OP, before posting, had already gone down to the 5K stage I am guessing that there is not much you can do except think about if the bevel is meeting. At that point would working more on the 12K do much? I would like to know for my own reference.

Bob

Bob, not sure if you are asking me, or if I'm following. The OP said he "only had a 5k", I'm not certain if he used it. If he had, then you are right, likely the damage was done. He might not ever get it back to normal. It might have also simply been taped . . . more 5k might then help.

And the "damage" might have been severe enough to require a 5k. I, personally wouldn't describe "pulling" as "damage".

In the end though, we all have to go back to a finisher at some point, right?

I've only taught a few hundred people how to hone and I've always been saddled with the advice that most beginners need to try their finisher and see if it works. If it doesn't, there are only a few other solutions. One of them is learning how to hone better. When a new honer tears into a bevel with a 5k they should be more careful than when they use a higher grit. I've had a lot of success simply teaching people how to hone better and discovering that a finishing stone can accomplish a lot, given the appropriate chance.