I have a Norton 4/8 and need to set a bevel on Genco . I have never set a bevel before. How should I start?
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I have a Norton 4/8 and need to set a bevel on Genco . I have never set a bevel before. How should I start?
If you are going to hone on a 4/8k stone, here is the Reader’s Digest version.
First put one layer of electrical tape on the spine from heel to toe. This will protect you spine, novice honers usually use too much pressure, tape will protect the spine and prevent excessive wear issues and other potential problems.
Ink the bevels with a magic marker fiber tip pen.
Lap your stones on 325 grit wet and dry paper on a flat surface or a diamond plate, to flatten the stone.
Hone the razor, one lap and look at the bevels with magnification 20 -60X. Look to see it the stone is removing ink all the way to the edge. The goal is to hone 2 flat bevels meeting in a straight line, the edge. The results of the test will tell you how much metal must be removed to get the bevels flat.
Typically we use a 1K stone to speed up the process, but it can be done with a 4k, it just takes longer.
Do a series of 20 circles on each side alternating sides, twice, 40 circles on each side total. Look at the bevels and see if ink is removed to the edge. If so re-ink the bevels and do one more lap on each side and verify that you are honing to the edge and slurry did not remove the ink.
If not, continue this honing pattern until you are removing ink all the way to the edge. Once you are removing ink in one lap, now do 20 full laps using an X stroke, alternating from side to side, this will smooth out the bevels and straighten the edge.
Now take your magnification and look straight down on the edge, and roll the razor spine from side to side a half inch keeping the edge stationary as you are looking at the edge, from heel to toe.
A “bevel set edge” will look dull grey, any shinny spots are where the bevels are not meeting or a chip. Keep alternating X strokes until you do not see any shinny spots. Do not cheat, keep at it until you do not see shinny spots. Check you tape frequently and replace if wearing excessively, an indicator of too much pressure.
Once there are no shinny spots, Your Bevel is Set. This is the hardest part of honing, and the place where most folks fail. If you cheat and tell yourself the bevel is set, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment, down the road.
Once your bevel is fully set, you want to polish out the stria (scratches), with a higher grit stone. The finer the scratch pattern the straighter the edge and more comfortable the edge will shave. Ink the bevels again, replace the tape with new tape and do alternating, full length X strokes until the ink is and ALL previous stria is removed.
Continue polishing, moving up your progression with finer stones to the finest stone available, removing the previous stones stria with the finer one.
Look at the edge and bevel from the side with magnification to ensure the edge is not chipping. Use the least amount of pressure to polish the edge. Excess pressure is the leading cause of chipping with novice honers.
Where you may have trouble is 1. Too much pressure. 2. Not completely setting the bevel. 3. Your razor may have issues, wear, warped or twisted blade or spine or bad steel.
Take your time, do not be tempted to use pressure to speed thing up and use a lot of ink, it is cheap and look, at the bevel and edge frequently, see what is happening, don’t guess. Once you fully understand the process you do not have to use ink, but it does give you a lot of quick feedback.
Strop for comfort, more polishing.
Find a local mentor, an hour of hands on coaching will save you days of reading and frustration.
Here is more info on using the Norton 4/8 then you will ever want to know including multiple Vids from Beginners and Experts alike
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html
I was 6 months in to learning how to shave with a Straight when this came out, it was like reading about a trip to Mars at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
Have you thought of bringing it back (or some updated version) for 2015?
After Movember I am going to need some other quest to plan for...