Thread: Honing Razors With A Jig and Stationary Blade

Has anyone compared an edge coming off an EP to one from a classic honed edge ? i would love to see a close up from a full hollow edge done on the EP.

Originally Posted by cosperryan

First off I want to thank everyone for this being the first thread on this subject that I have seen not turn into a bash fest.

Bladeon, my advice would be to have someone hone your razor professionally. Then if you can, get another razor and hone it on your jig. Then see what the difference is. That's really all you can do. You can build a hundred contraptions but you got to test it to know if it works or not. I don't hold much hope for it but hey people didn't hold much hope for the Wright brothers either and we know how that turned out.....

It seems I spoke too soon.

I shall now chant the only chant worth chanting. YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV! YMMV!

But seriously, who cares what some one hones with. if it works for them it works for them. The only reason why I will never use one is because I don't have one already and I feel no need for one. I feel like I get superb edges off of free hand knife sharpening and I am sitting here typing with a bbs shave from a razor honed on a coticule. If I had a friend nearby that had one sure I would try it and see what happens. Its not like its going to melt the razor and make it a useless lump of steel. Worst thing that could happen would be I have to reset the bevel using my traditional stones. Big deal, I like doing that anyways and usually have to restrain myself from honing my razors.

I'm going to stay out of the "it won't work" group and simply state this: Take a quality razor, hone one with a "jig" and let me hone one of like steel & send it to a blind panel for shaving.

I use jigs for my knives and love them, I use the built in jigs on razors for honing.

I have sharpened knives, axes and hatchets for some years (can get them razor sharp I might add) and now I hone my str8 razors...same basic sharpening concept but different methodology. Correct me if I'm wrong but...doesn't the shoulder on the str8 in fact maintain the angle we need at the cutting edge? While I unerstand the need for the jig with knives, axes and hatchets for helping to maintain the constant angle for sharpening, with the str8 I wouldn't think it was necessary if my assumption above isn't correct. Don't want to rain on your parade...just food for thought. Good luck with whatever method you find that works best for you...jig or no jig.

When all is said and done, the purpose of a jig is to keep a consistent angle (or distance or position in other scenarios). A straight razor already comes with a jig that does not require configuration, and which is always the exact same angle, regardless of where and when you use it. That built-in jig also happens to be set at a very convenient angle (or range of angles when compared between individual razors) that has been used for centuries.
It's free.
It's foolproof.
It's consistent.

So, what's the point of adding additional contraptions?

Originally Posted by certifiedbodyman

I have sharpened knives, axes and hatchets for some years (can get them razor sharp I might add) and now I hone my str8 razors...same basic sharpening concept but different methodology. Correct me if I'm wrong but...doesn't the shoulder on the str8 in fact maintain the angle we need at the cutting edge?

Yes, it does.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yes, it does.

...kinda thought so...especially since I've been fortunate enough to read up on how to hone my razors as well as having purchased the DVD by Lynn...between this forum and that DVD I managed ok to this point...dunno if my honing mathces up to most of y'alls but it suffices for me...and I've been able to use the "built in jig" on the str8's...lol

Originally Posted by certifiedbodyman

...kinda thought so...especially since I've been fortunate enough to read up on how to hone my razors as well as having purchased the DVD by Lynn...between this forum and that DVD I managed ok to this point...dunno if my honing mathces up to most of y'alls but it suffices for me...and I've been able to use the "built in jig" on the str8's...lol

Lynn's video is worth every penny. Between the video and reading SRP, I felt comfortable honing the razor. I've sharpened a lot of different steel tools. Some of that knowledge transfers, but razors are a different beast.

I really like the razor is its own jig. The edge is very refined. It might be tool steel but you won't use it as a cut off tool on a lathe . Once you lap the hone well, and get used to the light touch, feel, and appearance while honing the whole process works well. It is relaxing actually. Of course I'm a beginner and I haven't had to take on a geometrically challenged razor yet.

I use jigs to sharpen other tools. But I actually like sharpening the razor by hand. It just takes more feel. A nice 10x jeweler's loupe comes in handy too.

I just purchased a new professionally honed SR. So I had the chance to compare with the one I've honed and stropped since May. The new one was a little better. I can up my game some, but the comparison was very favorable. It was nice to compare what I've done against the efforts of a pro.

Ultimately if you get the tool sharp enough to do the job well, you have a process that works. After that it comes down to optimization; I'm still happy enough with, what I'm doing, results in a shave ready edge.

Best,

Ed

Originally Posted by rodb

Here's how Dovo's are made and sharpened. It looks like the bevel is set on a wheel and the edge is finished by hand on a stone

While I like the video, I find this one more 'informative'/hands on/even while in German which I don't speak.

I also find that there's a reason that factory edges need to be 'properly honed'. Just like 'Most' mass produced high performance engines such as Vette's etc benefit from being torn down and checked for clearances, proper torquing and carefully re-assembled so do mass produced straight razors /just like my direct from the factory Revisor. Decent shave from the factory Excellent Shave after resetting the bevel and honing to the 12K level

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_-s0phRZng

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I'm going to stay out of the "it won't work" group and simply state this: Take a quality razor, hone one with a "jig" and let me hone one of like steel & send it to a blind panel for shaving.

I use jigs for my knives and love them, I use the built in jigs on razors for honing.

I have already done this test with a local barber. I posted the Dovo that I did in the EP thread. The barber told me that he enjoyed his SR shave.