Thread: Missing the Edge

Bruseth... Tape is good. Electrical tape just gives you more tactile control over what your doing.

Kenny,
If you tape the spine keep using the tape until you are done honing.
If honing a lot on the 1000 you might have to replace the tape as it wears out.
I like to put a fresh piece of tape on the spine prior to using the finishing hone.
Remove the tape and clean the blade before you do any stropping.
You have a great selection of hones and with practice you will get there!

No expert here, but like Howard said, watching the undercut of the water can be a real help. There are many bevel setting tests but this one has been the most predictable for me.
But back to your question at hand - why isn't the bevel being set.
In my own limited experience, there several blades that I was just not taking control of. The grind may have been off or other geometry problems, but I was just not providing enough pressure and/or staying on that stone long enough. That's where the tape helps - you won't be anxious about a little pressure when your spine is not at risk.
So in my novice opinion, I'd leave the tape on until you get it set, then do what you want with it. Once it's set and you take the tape off, supposedly it only then takes few strokes to set it again without the tape.
What grind is the razor?

A large part of setting the bevel, is getting the bevels flat and even and then meeting at the edge. They must meet, the bevels flat and in line with the spine all the way to the edge.

Hair test, while they can tell you if the bevels are meeting at one point, cannot tell you if the whole bevel is meeting.

Looking at your photos it does appear there are spots that are not meeting (Shinny Spots) but the real test is looking straight down on the edge, not from the side. You do not need high magnification to do this.

Viewing from the side will tell you if you are honing all the way to the edge, but not if the bevels are meeting at the edged “Completely”, because you can only see one side at a time.

Here

is a simple, fool proof way to test for a “Complete Bevel Set”.

Once you have achieved this, 10 more light no pressure laps at the 1K, to begin to polish the bevel.
Taping the spine will increase the bevel angle and make reaching the edge easier in addition to saving the spine. First learn to achieve a bevel set then decide if you want to continue to tape.

You can learn to shave with your eyes close, but shaving with your eyes open is not cheating. It’s common sense.

If you are having trouble creating an edge, grinding the spine reducing the thickness will make the bevels larger and more difficult to reach the edge.

Also use less pressure and let the stone do the work.

Oh and I'll add one more thing I've learned. It may happen that you can undercut the water on one side but not the other. This would tell me to spend more time on that side until in came in even with the other.
So while you'll eventully get there by doing an even number of strokes both sides, it may take longer.

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

Kenny,

I think you meant to say taping the spine.


Regards,

Howard

Thanks, Howard. Yeah, I meant taping the spine . Although, with the bang-up job I've done so far, I might do better at taping the edge! At least I won't mess it up any more ;-)

Thanks for the good advice. I very much appreciate it.

Take Care,

Kenny

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

If one area doesn't move water then it likely needs a little attention.

Regards,

Howard

I did have a part of the blade that wasn't pushing water as well as the rest. I really didn't know what to do about that though. So, by needing 'a little attention', what should that attention be? Should I exert some pressure on the blade in that area? Then if I do that, I would keep on adding a bit of pressure to that same area through the rest of my progression?

If you get some time Howard, or anyone else for that matter, maybe you could let me know how to handle that part of the edge that isn't pushing water the way it should?

Thanks so much to you, Howard, and everybody else, for all the really great help you've been giving me. It's the next best thing to y'all actually being next to my side as I go along.

Thanks Again,

Kenny

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

No expert here, but like Howard said, watching the undercut of the water can be a real help. There are many bevel setting tests but this one has been the most predictable for me.
But back to your question at hand - why isn't the bevel being set.
In my own limited experience, there several blades that I was just not taking control of. The grind may have been off or other geometry problems, but I was just not providing enough pressure and/or staying on that stone long enough. That's where the tape helps - you won't be anxious about a little pressure when your spine is not at risk.
So in my novice opinion, I'd leave the tape on until you get it set, then do what you want with it. Once it's set and you take the tape off, supposedly it only then takes few strokes to set it again without the tape.
What grind is the razor?

It's full hollow-grind. Yep, I'm going to try using some tape. Right about now, I'd use a banana if I thought it would help

Thanks for your suggestions. It's much appreciated.

Have a Good One,

Kenny

These guys have covered pretty much all, you need more work on the bevel. The bevel set is 80% of a shaving edge, the rest is just smoothing/polishing out the cuttting edge. Magnification is a great tool, but don't let it become a crutch either. Pay attention to how the edge feels once you have the bevel all the way out to the cutting edge. Best of all, enjoy the journey.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

These guys have covered pretty much all, you need more work on the bevel. The bevel set is 80% of a shaving edge, the rest is just smoothing/polishing out the cuttting edge. Magnification is a great tool, but don't let it become a crutch either. Pay attention to how the edge feels once you have the bevel all the way out to the cutting edge. Best of all, enjoy the journey.

Thanks Scott. I was hoping you'd come along ;-) It's actually your razors (haven't made it to the post office yet, sorry) that started all this. I thought that it would be very cool if I could make my razors as sharp as the ones that you were so kind as to lend me. So, the journey began. I bought a nice set of stones from SRD. Then I bought the SRD Modular strop to use with sprays and pastes. Boy, I thought, you're ready now! Wait till I do this, and tell Scott. Then I tried, and fell flat on my butt ;-( I had a set of stones before, but they were my woodworking stones. I convinced myself, and my wife, that I needed a perfect, dedicated set just for sharpening razors, and I would be just fine. Wrong again. The stones and the strop are very nice though. My failure this time is much prettier than all of my previous failures

Anyway, with all the GREAT advice I've been getting here, I feel refreshed and invigorated. Hopefully, this time I will succeed. If not, it certainly isn't from lack of help. Once again, a big thanks to each and every one who has posted here.

I'll let y'all know how it's going once I get the nerve up to try again.

Thanks,

Kenny