Thread: A very quick question.

Do hone a wedge the same way as a hollow grind.

Short answer for a near wedge, not a true wedge, is yes you hone it like any other razor.

Bob

For a full wedge, I'd definitely use tape. Tape is more optional when there's any degree of hollowing, like with a near wedge.

Compare your bevel width on the wedge to that on a hollow, and try not to let it get, I dunno, more than 2x wide? I'm no pro and hope some other guys will chime in. I think it's inevitable that you'll get a wider bevel on a true wedge, but the wider you let it get, the slower your honing will become and the greater your spine wear will become.

I do have the experience of ruining a nice old Greaves wedge, so there's my qualification for answering at all. Smarter guys, please pile on!

The closer to wedge the more tape I would use. You can start at 3 layers and look at the bevel to see what is happening. Remove layers to get the bevel you want. If you do it the other way around you will wind up with a double bevel. IMHO and what I do.

I have talked to IMHO one of the best with the wedge honing and he tells me at least 2 and prefer 3 layers of tape and I ask him which tape to use I was told the 10 M. thick. So far I've found the 8 1/2 m. tape and it's working but when I can find the other I will switch. I'm new to all this also so I listen to my elders on the subject.

You want an explanation and a formula for finding how many layers of tape you should use on a wedge http://www.coticule.be/wedges.html . It does work. I have a few near wedges that have little hone wear and hone up just fine with one layer of tape. I use one layer of tape with my full hollows also.

Where you really run into trouble is if you encounter one of the very rare true wedges that were originally ground that way or an old wedge with excessive hone wear to the spine. All bets are off then and you may have to mock up a temporary faux frame back to bring the blade geometry back into line for honing. Had one with excessive hone wear and it was a female dog of a mutt to hone.

Bob

If a wedge has too much hone wear there is another solution you could have a regrind. they look great. so far I have had 3 reground and they look good and hone good. just a thought.

Originally Posted by rhensley

If a wedge has too much hone wear there is another solution you could have a regrind. they look great. so far I have had 3 reground and they look good and hone good. just a thought.

Yea, for sure that is another solution to the problem. From what I have read on here many old English razors that started life as wedges were reground to hollows many years ago as a matter of course.

Bob

Mine wasn't cut down to hollow ground but I would say near wedge anyway to me they look good and work good. all depends how bad a shape there in.