Thread: Can't get the edge to a point

Hi guys, this is my first post and I am hoping some of you guys can help me out with some advice. I have been using a straight for almost a year now and have a decent grasp of honing. I was able to take a vintage Boker from not cutting a single hair to shaving like butter. I recently acquired a few wade and butchers and a Boker from ebay. The problem is that two of the Wade and Butchers are dull. And I mean that the edge doesn't come to a sharp point, it is noticeably rounded. I tried to get one to a sharp point, but I was working on it for hours to no avail, it was able to pass the tnt, but it still would not cut any hair on my arm. I was hoping some of you guys could give me some tips and ideas on what to do. I have thought about sending it out, but I tend to be one of those guys that wants to do it himself and learn in the process. I have a combo course/fine india stone, a combo soft/hard ark, and a surgical black ark. Thanks for any information.

any pics of the problems blades?
what is your process for honing so far with these hones
I don't have any of the hones you are using so not sure of the problem myself.
but if is won't shave hair the bevel is not set properly
it could be a coaurse stone leaving the TNT feeling grippy but the bevel not set fully, I am guessing at this stage.
Others with your stones should be able to help more hopefully

I really think that you should send at least one out to be honed by a pro because I don't think you know what sharp is if you are trying to shave with "butter". Seriously, honing is the least of your concerns until you know what a truly honed razor shaves like, then you may have something to compare to. Another thing, HOW are you honing? How did you learn? What is your point of reference? To many variable to deal with in one huge leap. There are a ton of members in the kali area that would be willing to mentor you in all areas of straight razor kung fu so put your exact location in your profile and see who harkens to the call.

I also have a combo stone about 12 in long and course and fine India. I had trouble with it on most everything. I went to the naniwa stones. I then began to hone. My advice is to watch Lynn Abrams videos on honing. Lynn and others here on the place have excellent instructions on honing and they show it well in the video's. My problem with the india stones was keeping them clean. The Naniwa stones I use are water stones and work quite well anyway learning is part of the fun.

I did purchase a dovo bismark 6/8 and it was honed by lynn. I do know what a razor should be like as I don't think it gets much better than that. I'm honing based off what I have read from these threads, to set the bevel i"m doing some circles on the soft ark and finish with some x strokes. Then move on to my hard with some x stokes and finish on my black ark. Then strop. Not saying I know it all, but I think for the stage i'm at I can get a comfortable shave. Thanks for the location change tip, should have realized that it would be better with city in stead of state. And you are right it is a big leap, I might have bitten off more than I can chew

I don't use the stones you own but would say to keep on your lowest grit stone until the blade will cleanly cut arm hairs before even considering to move up your honing progression. I just don't think you have your bevel set in the first place. Some really dull blades just take longer to get the bevel set.

Bob

The course india is a very low grit stone. I think its supposed to be around 320 grit, and it eats at metal. I just dont want to use it too much without the right tips. otherwise I could be doing more bad than good. For my other Boker that I got to shave ready, the lowest I went was to my soft ark. So I haven't really used the course india stone up until now. I'm wondering if taping the edge will prevent some serious spine wear from this stone, it already has some, but this stone could add a lot more real quick. I'll see if I can find my camera to get some pictures up.

Heres a picture, its hard to tell about the edge, but its the best i could do.

I would stay away from the India stone altogether as it is to coarse of a grit and should only be used with great experience on... nothing really. That stone is good for farm implements and rusted hulks of iron that may have been hunting knives at one time. Stay with the soft Ark for bevel setting and then move up to the harder stones only after you can cut hair with it. A Washita stone wold be a good complement to the Arks. Remember, when you watch the videos, most people are using synthetic stones that have a standard grit rating and will slurry much differently then the Arks will.

thanks for the tip! I figured it might be too aggressive. I saw a video that gssixgun did in restoring a blade that he breadknifed. That is not what I am going to do, but he did at one point have a dull edge that he could run across his palm. similar to what I have. He then honed with the spine lifted to cut the flat edge into a sharper point. After that he set the bevel and so on. would that be worth a try on the soft ark. or should i just use a couple layers of tape and keep working at it till the bevel is set?