Head acks

For reasons I can't explain I have 2 nice looking razors that I can't seem to get a good edge on. one is a Bismarck. 6/8 registered. it will pass the dreaded HHT and still not give a comfortable shave. I also have a Bengal 6/8 that is a little better but not in the class of my Wade and Butchers or my ducks. I use the 1K-3K-8-12K naniwa and the 20K then stropping about 50-60 rounds. it's got now when I go to shave I carry at least 2 razors. I use tape on the spine don't want to scratch them up. I have another Bengal 6/8 that shaves like a dream. I'll watch the videos some more and see if i'm leaving anything out or if i'm adding anything. any ideas out there.

My input is that I recently took the 1K shave test challenge and couldn't be happier for it. Mind you, you may be my senior when it comes to honing and this is my experience, but after finishing the 1K shave test with a BBS, I was floored and humbled. The light went on, for me. What's said is true. The epiphany moment for me: "90% of the sharpening(work) is done at the 1K level" Oh, how true.

YMMV and Have Fun! ;)

ps-thread should be entitled "Head Ax" :eek:

Something to think about.

The Bismarck is a 6/8 Full Hollow, shoulderless razor. So between the edge and the spine you're going to have much more flex than with a W&B (generally). If you try to apply the same amount of pressure on the hone with the Bismarck that you do with a heavy grind W&B you're going to cause the blade to flex and possibly ride on the upper side of the bevel and make the edge have little or no contact with the stone.

Try a lighter stroke even from bevel set and see if it doesn't improve.

The Bengal...?? Never held or honed one. :shrug:

Howard :)

Roger, I am trying to set aside some to time to head out your way for a meet and great itf you can wait I may be able to assist you in this dilemma. If not then try dropping the 12K and the 20K from your routine and just use "weight of the blade" on the 8K and see what that does.

Check the geometry of your blades. You may need a shim or two to get it honed dead straight. I am honing a vintage Bismarck 9 at the moment and it is taking a front and back shim at the heel end. I am at the 600 grit stone anxiously awaiting the moment I can jump up to the 1k Chosera.

Razor geometry is an interesting subject. Many ways to fix many blade problems.

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Originally Posted by guitstik

Roger, I am trying to set aside some to time to head out your way for a meet and great itf you can wait I may be able to assist you in this dilemma. If not then try dropping the 12K and the 20K from your routine and just use "weight of the blade" on the 8K and see what that does.

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Sounds good. Just let me know when and I'll try be there. all info helps.

I once had a similer problem with my Charlex 06 razor

I dulled the edge so it would not shave armhair and started my routine, a dulicut on my coticule. every time I got it páss the HHT and then the shaves turned out awfull. I repeated this process at least 5 or 6 times

I almost thought I had a bad quality razor :aargh:

then I read somewhere about the magic marker method and it turned out the bevel was only set on 1 side only, that was why I could pass the hanging hair test with a crappy edge

I went back to Lynn's video on honing with the naniqa stones. circle method. Watched the entire video 2 times before I saw something. so I went back to the stones and my 2 blades. Now I'll have to wait a day or two for my beard to grow to bind out if I learned any thing.

I do the same. Occasionally, I'll notice something that hits me a little differently. Other times, it's part of my mental prep prior to pulling out the stones.

I'm curious. What did you notice?

While watching the video I noticed from the sound of the blade on the stone that I wasn't putting enough pressure on the 1K and with out a microscope couldn't see the bevel. also I don't have a 5K but do have a 3K so I put pressure on the first set of circles and laps then no pressure on the next. after that it went through the 8-12-and 20K with no pressure. stropped and checked. the 2 razors seem to be ready but want know until this beard grows out . I try to shave every 2 to 3 days. My beard is heavy and tough but my skin is old and well you get the picture. When I saw what I had been doing I remember what I had done. I guess I have that CRS illness. I think I'll burn a lot of Lynns videos to disc. just incase they get lost on the net.