Thread: Honing Stainless Steel

Originally Posted by JOB15

At the moment im on the chosera 5k to refresh the bevel then the 10k for a while .
After that I drag the edge on the side of the 10k and then bring it back to life on the same 10k.
Then I'm on the Maruka with a koma and tomo...
Seems to work a treat.
I might try the stainless steel on Shapton glass 1k,4k,8k,16k Jnat+Tomo or possibly just stop at the 16k

Maybe I am misunderstanding, you say with that convoluted honing routine it works a treat but you can't get a good shave from Stainless steel razors. Which is it, works a treat or fails to?

I use one standard set of all one make of hones for both stainless and carbon blades. Are you making honing more complicated then it needs to be?

Bob

While on the Steel subject, have any of you ever seen or shaved with an D2 steel razor? D2 is some of the toughest steel I ever ground on, but, once you get an edge on it, the edge seems to outlast the majority of stainless especially when in the magic zone of 61-62 c scale.

My 2¢
A couple local hone person of good repute got stuck with HESS Frozen Steel Razors and spent the day at a meet up with out much success.
Later all got together and the consensus was that the Stainless is tough and the shape of the grit has a great impact upon grinding performance. That meant to them and later, me, that; the work must be done at the lower grit levels and then use differing directional strokes from then onward up the grits to clip off the top smear of the ridges between lower grit scratches.

I am a machinist most of my life and know that the stainless steels will smear...meaning that they do not cut cleanly without a sharp grit and extra effort.

Some hones with a rounded crystalline grit for may not cut but only wear away the surface. That said, some stainless steels like to be finished on Coticules and Thuringers.

All in all more work beyond the usual on the 800- 1K will pay off in later cleanup work to a good shaving edge.

So knowing those things I have done a feew stainless "Frozen Steel" Friodures, and Wapis and Wapicopies in slightly over the time I would often spend on a normal honing. And, yes, some carbon steel blades do take a longer time.

Good luck and watch what happens with each stone and steel and take the time to inspect what is going on at each few laps on a stone. After a while this will not be necessary but you are training your senses to understand the process you are using. Muscle memory is a key to being able to mentally concentrate on your particular process and modify it as needed.
Cheers
~Richard

Originally Posted by BobH

Maybe I am misunderstanding, you say with that convoluted honing routine it works a treat but you can't get a good shave from Stainless steel razors. Which is it, works a treat or fails to?

I use one standard set of all one make of hones for both stainless and carbon blades. Are you making honing more complicated then it needs to be?

Bob

The convoluted routine I've only been doing for a week or 2 and so far it works a treat. I haven't tried it on the stainless steel .
I started with Shapton Glass then I added some Jnats to my collection and finally I purchased the Chosera hones.
The shaptons I don't use any more .
The past few months ive been setting the bevel on the 1k chosera and then doing jnat with Naguras .
Now ive got the chosera range back out to play with.
I like to play about and test . Nothing wrong with that

Originally Posted by Geezer

My 2¢
A couple local hone person of good repute got stuck with HESS Frozen Steel Razors and spent the day at a meet up with out much success.
Later all got together and the consensus was that the Stainless is tough and the shape of the grit has a great impact upon grinding performance. That meant to them and later, me, that; the work must be done at the lower grit levels and then use differing directional strokes from then onward up the grits to clip off the top smear of the ridges between lower grit scratches.

I am a machinist most of my life and know that the stainless steels will smear...meaning that they do not cut cleanly without a sharp grit and extra effort.

Some hones with a rounded crystalline grit for may not cut but only wear away the surface. That said, some stainless steels like to be finished on Coticules and Thuringers.

All in all more work beyond the usual on the 800- 1K will pay off in later cleanup work to a good shaving edge.

So knowing those things I have done a feew stainless "Frozen Steel" Friodures, and Wapis and Wapicopies in slightly over the time I would often spend on a normal honing. And, yes, some carbon steel blades do take a longer time.

Good luck and watch what happens with each stone and steel and take the time to inspect what is going on at each few laps on a stone. After a while this will not be necessary but you are training your senses to understand the process you are using. Muscle memory is a key to being able to mentally concentrate on your particular process and modify it as needed.
Cheers
~Richard

Excellent info, thanks.

Originally Posted by JOB15

The convoluted routine I've only been doing for a week or 2 and so far it works a treat. I haven't tried it on the stainless steel .
I started with Shapton Glass then I added some Jnats to my collection and finally I purchased the Chosera hones.
The shaptons I don't use any more .
The past few months ive been setting the bevel on the 1k chosera and then doing jnat with Naguras .
Now ive got the chosera range back out to play with.
I like to play about and test . Nothing wrong with that

Well, that explains it. I'd only worry if after trying your "works a treat" routine does not work on stainless. Just hone it like any other razor.

Bob

I would stick with one set of synthetic stones progression personally, stainless steel IMO responds well to synthetic stones especially the Chosera and Naniwa range of stones this is a ED Wusthof 77 stainless steel razor I honed about a month ago I've used it many times since it took a superb edge honed it exactly the same way as I do my carbon blades.

JOB15,

I feel for you.

I have had such issues with some of my old kamisori - I have said many cruel things about the parentage of the makers

A deep breath, and put the razor away for a few days works well for me.

A case of YMMV :

I honed my Dovo EnVogue yesterday using:

1) La Verte Coticule, followed by stropping on genuine linen & leather (30 passes each)
2) Nagura progression on Shoubudani Asagi stone : Botan --> Tenyjou --> Meijiro --> Koma
3) Finished with Asagi tomo-nagura

All the above done with one (1) layer of PVC electrical tape on the spine.

Shave was excellent.

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

I would stick with one set of synthetic stones progression personally, stainless steel IMO responds well to synthetic stones especially the Chosera and Naniwa range of stones this is a ED Wusthof 77 stainless steel razor I honed about a month ago I've used it many times since it took a superb edge honed it exactly the same way as I do my carbon blades.

That's a good looking blade

The mistake I have been making is giving it the full jnat nagura method although that method 1k then 6 Naguras has worked with every blade apart from the stainless one.
I will say though, over the past however many months that I've been using the Jnat Nagura method, I have gained a massive understanding about the different razors I hone and the methods I use.
I also found a consistency that I couldn't find with synthetics.
Knowing what I know now since my natural stint I understand my synthetics more than ever also.
I would have thought that using naturals and slurries would be harder than using synthetics.
Finally I'm getting some where