Thread: Honing hard steel razors and russian razors

My O1 razors (of a whopping 3 I have made) were hard as hell. Major pain to set the initial bevel, and then a pain thereafter. That's why I bought the Chosera 1k. But to be honest, I also used peel and stick diamond film on a marble tile. the 15 micron cuts pretty well, but you'd better be close already, as it's not going to remove a pile of steel, especially with wide bevels. Also, my lime green Nakayama cuts like crazy, but at a fine grit. My initial edges chipped and failed a lot, but looking back, I wonder if the edges might have been decarburized a bit. Once they were properly set and honed, the O1 left a nice, long-lived edge. I'm not really familiar with any other steels at this point (other than some 'real' razors - my Sheffield, some Solingens, etc).

One thing that really got me was some oxidization on the spine side of a razor at the tip. It took forever to get my honing to cut through it and level out a bevel. It was like filing through welded steel and coming across a piece of slag that's harder, except this was just black surface pitting. Long story short, the hard synthetic hones and fast Japanese stones worked for me, as did PSA diamond film.

I've never held a Russian razor, but if they are as hard as that, I bet if you get a nice edge, it will stay for a while.

Your comment about de-carb at the edge brings back memories of my most hated by professional honers razor. It was too hard and finally got to a point that it honed well. But a lot of hours on the hones before that. It was a re-tempered Herder blank from Germany. De-carb may have been the problem there.

Funny how experiences with certain razor brands differ. Must be a matter of technique not quite adequate for the razor. I never have problems getting great edges on Swedes, I have one Russian razor: no problems either. My nightmare razor is a TI that I cannot get as sharp as I like on a 1/2" length part of the edge near the toe. Best results I get with that one is on a Rouge de Salm followed by genuine linen and leather using about 3 lbs worth of pressure and pulling the strops very taut.

I can't see there being much of a problem as I hone many TI razors and they are about as hard a steel as you are likely to come across maybe a little more pressure needed in your passes and a few more strokes but quite doable all the same.

What is a TI razor and why everybody use strange Therms like it . We dont know what they mean

Originally Posted by RusenBG

What is a TI razor and why everybody use strange Therms like it . We dont know what they mean

TI the abbreviation for Thiers Issard.

TI means Thiers-Issard from France. I recognize the slangs also bother me sometimes, but we have to get used to them.

I notrice that a hard to hone razors need a rest , no kiding . Strop them few times and let them be for a week andtouch em up on Blue green thuri . Or strop them , go one step back on a fine coticule , misty slurry , strop them good again , on the back of the strop and touch up on a Blue Green thury - it cures every desease on the edge .
I never had any problems with other blades exept rusians , or at least a part of them .

Originally Posted by RusenBG

What is a TI razor and why everybody use strange Therms like it . We dont know what they mean

Here is a list of abbreviations you will see on SRP:
Acronyms and Abbreviations - Straight Razor Place Library

My O1 razors (of a whopping 3 I have made) were hard as hell.

Yes O 1 is very good carbon instrumental steel that get hight hardness temper . I have a custom O1 knife and its superb .
They useit here for a agricultur machines blades and for everything that needs idioth use q very durable steel indeed
I guess the temper is that maters .
I Never have problems with a seting beevell on any razor as i have few bevell seters from 400 to 600 tf 800 to 1000 and 1200 2 diamond plates and many fine india stones and oilstones
No razor make me problem with those dinosaurs as they cut the soul out of it .
The problem comes after the 10 K level as the sine hone is geting throuble refining the edge with a low presure and need hours to do so
Or you use presure and go back on 3 K to straighten up the week edje .
Ultra fine coticules work the best for those kind of razors as they had max cuting power .
Synthetic stones cut very good aways and the ultra fine synth stones make the lob done very fast Maybe SG stones are best as i look them and theyre action .
I use naturals on the fine grit so i have this problem with the refinig the edje .