Thread: Only Half Sharp

I am new to honing razors. I am currently using the Norton 1K/4K/8K progression followed by CrOx on balsa wood then strop on kangaroo hide. The edge is very sharp but not consistent from heel to toe. My stroke is mostly straight down the stone. I see a smooth line of water pushed in front of the edge along the whole lenght and I am careful to maintain good edge/spine contact but the heel of the blade is noticably sharper than the toe. A transision seems to occur about mid lenght. The two razors I am using now are a Red Imp 132 and a Union Cutlery wedge but I have a similar issue with hollow ground and heavier wedge razors. Will more of an X crossing stroke produce a more consistent edge or is there something else I should change?

For sure a rolling x-stroke will help, also check the edges for frowns as they can cause honing problems

Have you done the permanent marker test to make sure your covering the entire lenght of the blade?
From that test you can see how some part of the razor is not making contact with the edge and adjust your stroke accordingly.
Strokes for honing a razor - Straight Razor Place Library

Pictures always help because of the different things that make a razor harder to hone. Hone wear, pressure, hones being flat (lapped) before honing. Give us more info and I'm sure someone here can get you on the right track

The transition sounds like a problem that lapping will help. As far as "x" strokes, they will help if you have a lot of hone wear. It helps ensure contact on the full length of the blade.

Definitely do the marker test, it's the best way see what's going on.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Have you done the permanent marker test to make sure your covering the entire lenght of the blade?
From that test you can see how some part of the razor is not making contact with the edge and adjust your stroke accordingly.
Strokes for honing a razor - Straight Razor Place Library

Just raise the elbow of the arm you are honing with.

Originally Posted by ace

Just raise the elbow of the arm you are honing with.

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out;
You put your left foot in,
And you shake it all about.

Originally Posted by Raol

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out;
You put your left foot in,

And you shake it all about.

You do the Honing Hokey Pokey
and ya turn yourself around
That's what it's all about
Hey...

I think you might try changing your honing technique, especially with older well worn blades. It is necessary to guide your contact with the hone to favor the part of the edge that needs it most.
At least to some degree, I always find that I will need to spend more time in some areas than others. Even from one side of the blade to the other.
Before I decide to move on to a finer grit hone I will take an edge to the microscope and examine it.
For example, I might decide to concentrate more on the midsection on the "push" side of the blade and maybe on the tip of the "pull" side to get uniformity of sharpness and smoothness.
Very few older razors have edges that are totally straight.
I think it is a mistake to beleive that a totally straight edge is necessary. Too many nice old smiling blades have been wronged by insisting that they have a straight edge.