Thread: Question on consistency of bevel across the razor.

So I just received my 3rd razor from SRD. Because I've been wanting to learn to hone, I've been examining each razor using a jeweler's loop to see what it's "supposed" to look like before I start stropping (to make sure I'm not screwing anything up). On this one I just got, on one side the bevel is very obvious and consistent across the razor, however, on the other side, the bevel seems to disappear in the middle of the blade. Very persistent on the ends, but I can hardly see the bevel in the middle. Pic is to show what I'm referring to as the "bevel" - the shiny part at the top.

Have you shaved with it?

The bevel is the strip, about 1 & 1/4 inches wide in your photo, at the top.

Bob

I wouldn't worry about it if it shaves ok. I see this on vintage razors quite often, the geometry might be a bit off

The first step is to test shave with it. if it shaves fine don't worry about it. Most of the time crooked bevels have nothing to do with the edge itself and it is more a cosmetic thing. Unless you're one of those guys who demand perfection and have to work on it immediately I'd just wait until it needs honing and over time you can correct it if it bothers you.

Of course if it doesn't shave properly then that's another story.

@MajorEthanolic

I'm not trying to patronize you, but to bounce off of BobH's response, I manipulated your original photo to highlight the location of the bevel. Without knowing the magnification of the image, I'd say that's a mighty fine looking bevel.

Just my humble opinion as I'm not an experienced honer.

BR//ShavingSnob

Yep. I've got a Globusmen that I just scratch my head looking at one side or the other, but dang if she don't shave buttery.

@ShavingSnob,

Very helpful post. Thank you.

Yea, I have a few like your Globusmen also and are good shaver also.

Bob

JTmke - I shaved with it and it was a decent shave, but seemed to pull a bit more when going against the grain than my other razors. I found that I was having to use more/wetter soap to go against the grain. Not sure if this means anything.

There are two things that affect the shape of the bevel - one is a distorted spine and the other is the accuracy of the grind - blade geometry i.e. the spine width to blade width and the extent of hollow grinding affect the bevel width.

If a razor has a distorted spine you will tend to get different bevel shapes either side - one side may be wider at the ends because the middle of the blade is not touching the hone as much - the other side will display the opposite. An experienced honer can overcome this to an extend by using a different honing action and maybe tape.

The fact that your razor has a straight bevel on one side suggests that the spine is also straight - so why would you get a wavy bevel the other side? The answer could be that the accuracy of grinding is not so good on that side - if there is more metal in some areas this will produce a wider bevel so the fact that your bevel gets very thin in the middle suggests that it was ground a little closer than the ends.

When you look at bevels under magnification, very few are perfectly uniform but it doesn't affect performance so long at the bevel is set properly.