Thread: How I hone razors

Well it COULD be one! It is very simple and there are many variables of course. I just wanted to compliment the OP for the post. Stickies and other is up to the fine people who are well qualified to make those decisions!

Originally Posted by Bruno

not much pressure at all. If the slurry is thick, I just use enough pressure to maintain a firm contact between the razor and the stone. As for geometry problems: I only hone razors that I created myself. Should I discover a geometry issue, I go back to grinding.

However, These days that doesn't happen anymore. With heavy wedges I may establish a bevel before I start the final polishing, just to make sure I don't need to go back to the grinder after after spending the time to polish and make scales.

Usually however, I verify the geometry during grinding by putting the razor on a flat steel plate. I check that on both sides the spine and edge make good contact as if I was doing a rolling X. All the while I grind it thinner and thinner, checking the grind and correcting things as I go along. And for most razors, I finish the entire thing before it touches a hone for the first time. It's just too much waste of time imo.

If the razor is not laying flat on the steel plate, in a case of an old vintage razor for instance, would the building of slurry aid or assist in correcting the geometry of the razor?

Agreed, good post....just that the OP is a razor maker.....leaves a lot of us out.

Originally Posted by bill3152

Well it COULD be one! It is very simple and there are many variables of course. I just wanted to compliment the OP for the post. Stickies and other is up to the fine people who are well qualified to make those decisions!

I am a believer in slurry on everything

Originally Posted by cubancigar2000

I am a believer in slurry on everything

Leathery, oily strop slurry is the best

I even have use a mini squeegee that came with a cellphone case (for screen cover) that I use to squeegee off my DMT onto my hone when I have finished raising the slurry.

Originally Posted by cubancigar2000

I am a believer in slurry on everything

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Leathery, oily strop slurry is the best

You have clearly entered into the highest realm of the Professional Slurrier....have you tried adding beef marrow yet?

Originally Posted by cubancigar2000

I am a believer in slurry on everything

It's probably bad on a sandwich....... But on stones yes!!! lol

Reuben on rye, hold the slurry.

Originally Posted by rodb

It's probably bad on a sandwich....... But on stones yes!!! lol

Great write up!

I’ve ground a few razors out of old files and have sort of settled on a very similar routine.

When I think I’ve finished grinding I put magic marker on the spine and edge and take the razor to a Norton 4K with slurry (raised using a well-worn atoma 400) to set and check the geometry. So far I’ve always been too eager to hit the hones and had to take each razor back to the grinder to remove a bit more metal.

Once I’m satisfied that I’ve actually finished grinding I set the bevel with 2 bits of tape on the spine and a heavily slurred Norton 1K. The thumb pad test and the ability to shave arm hairs tell me that I’m finished on this stone.

I then remove one layer of tape and use the 1K with slurry until there is no secondary bevel (magic marker and a 10X loupe are used to check).

I repeat the above with no tape.

I then progress through 4K with slurry> 4K with water> 8K with slurry> 8K with water> CrOx paddle strop.

The tape really helps with setting the bevel, I tried without tape but had trouble maintain the constant (slight) edge pressure needed to remove enough metal to set the bevel.

I use no tape for final honing as my razors are defiantly not art works that warrant protected spines and the hone wear gives me feedback on the consistency of my grinding.

I would throw my Norton 220 out as well, if it wasn’t stuck to my 1K.

I have a love/hate relationship with the 1K, I don’t particularly like the feel of it but it’s the only stone I have that can do its job. Thankfully the slurry really speeds up the process and the 4K with slurry has plenty of horsepower to take over when ready so I tolerate the 1K (at least for now).