Thread: Tweaking the Edge with Tape

No expert here by any means. I dont use tape because I hate using it! But I do microbevel without it by doing heel leading strokes till the last finisher where I vary the stroke, this creates a micro bevel as different portion of the bevel is exposed to the new stroke.

Originally Posted by ncraigtrn

I have never and probably will never use magnification to inspect my edges. For all i know my bevels could be scrathed to heck and the edge could have more teeth then shark.

I would encourage you to add a 30x eye loupe, or a low power microscope to your arsenal. Randydance, one of my honing mentors, told me years ago that those things were good tools to have before honing begins, during and after. I use the 30x mostly, used to use a B&L stereoscope because I had it. I used it to make tattooing needles, to inspect them before and after soldering.

A 40x lens so it works great for razor edges as well. Not anywhere near the level of these 100-400x power lenses, but shows you where you're at, and where you need to go. For me magnification is an essential tool for honing razors.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I would encourage you to add a 30x eye loupe, or a low power microscope to your arsenal. Randydance, one of my honing mentors, told me years ago that those things were good tools to have before honing begins, during and after. I use the 30x mostly, used to use a B&L stereoscope because I had it. I used it to make tattooing needles, to inspect them before and after soldering.

A 40x lens so it works great for razor edges as well. Not anywhere near the level of these 100-400x power lenses, but shows you where you're at, and where you need to go. For me magnification is an essential tool for honing razors.

I'm only asking because I can. What exactly would the Loupe do to improve my honing? My philosophy has been that this is an art that dates back a few hundred years and I doubt they had high power magnification.

Make me a convert!! I want the best edge tell me how a loupe would accomplish it.

Pretty please

Originally Posted by WW243

Neil Miller: thanks for my favorite and most elusive quote of the day in the Forum: I am sure others will agree with you that changing the angle is the same as not changing the angle.

Ambiguity exists only when we don't want to understand something.

Originally Posted by ncraigtrn

I'm only asking because I can. What exactly would the Loupe do to improve my honing? My philosophy has been that this is an art that dates back a few hundred years and I doubt they had high power magnification.

Make me a convert!! I want the best edge tell me how a loupe would accomplish it.

Pretty please

I am in the process of honing a 7 day set of vintage Solingen razors by an obscure maker. I found these on the bay maybe 5 years ago. I was familiar with the maker because of a razor I bought from Lynn, and have sought out more of this brand of razors ever since. So I got this set, pre-WWII made, NOS and 'keepers'. I was never going to use them but changed my mind and I've began honing each one on a different coticule. I have a half dozen coticules, like any normal person, and wanted to see what it took to get these shave ready with the different stones. So ........

I inspect the edge from jump street and see if there are any chips or other anomalies that I cannot detect with the naked eye. Today's razor has a couple of anomalies in the bevel. Almost chips that I detected with my 30x eye loupe. So I go at it on the hone and every so often see what progress I'm making to get a consistent edge. If I am selling a razor and sending it out I want to know that the guy who receives it isn't going to email me and tell me there are micro chips in the edge. I'm sure plenty of guys hone their razors just fine without it but for me it is another arrow in the quiver. This is what I use, I see they are sold out at the moment but there is a wait list ... 21mm 30x Chrome Teardrop Triplet Jewelers Loupe

On another note, I went to work in a tattoo shop in North Jersey 25 years ago. The guy wanted us to use his needles because he kept count and figured that he could tell if we did any tattoos when he wasn't around by what was used. The needles were loose in the autoclave. I asked him if he had an eye loupe. You don't need an eye loupe he told me. Just take the needle and pull the points backways through a tissue. If they don't rip the tissue they won't have hooks that will rip skin.

Well I used his that first day but brought my own along with my eye loupe the next. His needles were atrocious and tore skin like you wouldn't believe. Anyway, IME seeing what is going on at a level above and beyond the naked eye is a good thing. Hundreds of years ago there were no gasoline engines and they rode on horses and wagons. When I was a kid there were no seat belts, air bags, on and on. Magnification to facilitate honing is progress AFAIC. YMMV.

Here is another of many archived threads with pro and con on magnification ....... http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...-question.html

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I am in the process of honing a 7 day set of vintage Solingen razors by an obscure maker. I found these on the bay maybe 5 years ago. I was familiar with the maker because of a razor I bought from Lynn, and have sought out more of this brand of razors ever since. So I got this set, pre-WWII made, NOS and 'keepers'. I was never going to use them but changed my mind and I've began honing each one on a different coticule. I have a half dozen coticules, like any normal person, and wanted to see what it took to get these shave ready with the different stones. So ........

I inspect the edge from jump street and see if there are any chips or other anomalies that I cannot detect with the naked eye. Today's razor has a couple of anomalies in the bevel. Almost chips that I detected with my 30x eye loupe. So I go at it on the hone and every so often see what progress I'm making to get a consistent edge. If I am selling a razor and sending it out I want to know that the guy who receives it isn't going to email me and tell me there are micro chips in the edge. I'm sure plenty of guys hone their razors just fine without it but for me it is another arrow in the quiver. This is what I use, I see they are sold out at the moment but there is a wait list ... 21mm 30x Chrome Teardrop Triplet Jewelers Loupe

On another note, I went to work in a tattoo shop in North Jersey 25 years ago. The guy wanted us to use his needles because he kept count and figured that he could tell if we did any tattoos when he wasn't around by what was used. The needles were loose in the autoclave. I asked him if he had an eye loupe. You don't need an eye loupe he told me. Just take the needle and pull the points backways through a tissue. If they don't rip the tissue they won't have hooks that will rip skin.

Well I used his that first day but brought my own along with my eye loupe the next. His needles were atrocious and tore skin like you wouldn't believe. Anyway, IME seeing what is going on at a level above and beyond the naked eye is a good thing. Hundreds of years ago there were no gasoline engines and they rode on horses and wagons. When I was a kid there were no seat belts, air bags, on and on. Magnification to facilitate honing is progress AFAIC. YMMV.

Here is another of many archived threads with pro and con on magnification ....... http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...-question.html

Boom!! See that I can understand. If I were to start honing for profit I think I would take that step to be assured that I won't be getting any customer complaints. Well... I guess I'll try one when I can afford it.

Originally Posted by ncraigtrn

I'm only asking because I can. What exactly would the Loupe do to improve my honing? My philosophy has been that this is an art that dates back a few hundred years and I doubt they had high power magnification.
Make me a convert!! I want the best edge tell me how a loupe would accomplish it.

Pretty please

I bet,,,,,,, if the cutler that honed razors or the barber who honed razors or the little ole man in the shack who honed his only razor,,,, would have found a Norton 4/8 & a loupe in the mailbox,, they would have been a happy honer,,,

Just because they managed with the few choices that they had, does not make them any more credible than the wetshavers today.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I bet,,,,,,, if the cutler that honed razors or the barber who honed razors or the little ole man in the shack who honed his only razor,,,, would have found a Norton 4/8 & a loupe in the mailbox,, they would have been a happy honer,,,

Just because they managed with the few choices that they had, does not make them any more credible than the wetshavers today.

The thought wasn't on credibility it was on being able to achieve an edge that's keen and smooth without magnification or super stones... I'm not against it and it probably makes it easier but I'm just stating its not necessary

Originally Posted by ncraigtrn

The thought wasn't on credibility it was on being able to achieve an edge that's keen and smooth without magnification or super stones... I'm not against it and it probably makes it easier but I'm just stating its not necessary

Has there ever been a post that stated it was necessary to have a loupe?
I'm just glad that I'm fortunate enough that "necessity" does not dictate my involvement in wetshaving.

Maybe,,, I just get a little ruffled at the often used example of, "Well they didn't use them in the old days. They didn't need them in the old days. They got them really sharp in the old days. They only needed one razor & one stone in the old days."

I would truly love to to be able to compare the top honemeisters of today, with the talents of the honemeisters of yesteryear. Heck,,, I would love to compare one of my edges to theirs.

I truly feel that the act of wetshaving has progressed from a daily ritual, to an art form.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Has there ever been a post that stated it was necessary to have a loupe?
I'm just glad that I'm fortunate enough that "necessity" does not dictate my involvement in wetshaving.

Maybe,,, I just get a little ruffled at the often used example of, "Well they didn't use them in the old days. They didn't need them in the old days. They got them really sharp in the old days. They only needed one razor & one stone in the old days."

I would truly love to to be able to compare the top honemeisters of today, with the talents of the honemeisters of yesteryear. Heck,,, I would love to compare one of my edges to theirs.

I truly feel that the act of wetshaving has progressed from a daily ritual, to an art form.

No argument