Thread: Frustrated - setting the bevel

Hi Gents,
I have read many a threads, watched many a videos (by you and others) and I feel like I don't have this down yet.
I'm using a DMT 1200 to se the bevel on this eBay razor (GW Pipe). I had to remove a small chip then I got to work and it's been a good 45 min and the razor is not cutting hairs.

WTH!

So what do I do? I'm sure I'm being impatient but I'm usually pretty good at stuff I put my mind to.

So what's the secret here?

pics would help

here's the razor I'm trying to hone. I took it off the scales because I cleaned and polished it up a bit.

Originally Posted by daverojo77

here's the razor I'm trying to hone. I took it off the scales because I cleaned and polished it up a bit.

Here is what I am seeing and reading correct anything I am wrong about


1. The Spine / Edge Geometry are off in that pic.. It seems that the edge is flat and the spine is curved this will add to the difficulty

2. You are honing Without scales on the razor ???

3. You restored the razor and removed a chip from the edge ??? please give more details of how that was done

4. You are honing a razor that seems to have a few issues but I will wait for some answers before I try and diagnose the Patient

Originally Posted by gssixgun;14717044.

You are honing a razor that seems to have a few issues...

Uh huh.

I bought two pretty much played out GW Pipe razors thinking they be good fun to practice on. They were neither good nor fun for practice. A year later after fits and starts learning how to do an "easy" touch-up on a non-fouled-up blade, studying edge micrographs, going to the 2014 Asheville NC meet (thanks again, honer-wizards) and getting a decent (but inexpensive) loupe... phew - recently had another go on those old Pipe razors that had been taunting me for so many months. Fair to say it took me at least a year to figure out how to turn scars into stars.

@daverojo77, I feel your pain.

Good to know that I'm not alone

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Uh huh.

I bought two pretty much played out GW Pipe razors thinking they be good fun to practice on. They were neither good nor fun for practice. A year later after fits and starts learning how to do an "easy" touch-up on a non-fouled-up blade, studying edge micrographs, going to the 2014 Asheville NC meet (thanks again, honer-wizards) and getting a decent (but inexpensive) loupe... phew - recently had another go on those old Pipe razors that had been taunting me for so many months. Fair to say it took me at least a year to figure out how to turn scars into stars.

@daverojo77, I feel your pain.

answered your questions in bold

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Here is what I am seeing and reading correct anything I am wrong about

1. The Spine / Edge Geometry are off in that pic.. It seems that the edge is flat and the spine is curved this will add to the difficulty I see

2. You are honing Without scales on the razor ??? Without scales

3. You restored the razor and removed a chip from the edge ??? please give more details of how that was done layer the razor flat and went back and forth until I no longer saw the chip

4. You are honing a razor that seems to have a few issues but I will wait for some answers before I try and diagnose the Patient

thanks

There have been quite a few threads about setting a bevel on a DMT. Most of the more experienced honers don't recommend them. Do you have an alternate? 1 or 4K whetstone?

Originally Posted by RezDog

There have been quite a few threads about setting a bevel on a DMT. Most of the more experienced honers don't recommend them. Do you have an alternate? 1 or 4K whetstone?

I also have a King 1000. In addition I have a King 6000 and film (again based on everything I read and viewed.)

Furthermore I have a DMT 600 which is what I used to speed things up with he chip.

well you should be trying to set the bevel on the 1K. A bevel it set when the two sides come together and for a perfect apex. There are some tests that are good indicators, however to be certain that you left as much metal as you can you should be monitoring this with a loupe. You should be able to shave with a 1K edge. It is not a pleasant and beautiful shave but it is doable. Hopefully you have a loupe, they are not expensive but are an essential tool. The other essential tool is the benchmark. That is a pro razor that you occasionally test shave to get a comparison edge. If you don't have those two things you should stop and get them. There are several threads on using a loupe for bevel set testing. If you are testing your bevel set using a thumb nail test you do need to keep in mind that it indicates your bevel was set. It also kills your edge and that needs to be re established after the test passes.