Thread: Honing progression with pictures

Originally Posted by JOB15

I can see micro chips along the edge. Maybe try setting the bevel with less pressure ?
I'd lightly drag the edge on the stone and start from scratch.

Yeah this is a daily thing for me since I've started honing... I'll get the edge honed in like I did, take my time and try and shave with it... I was trying to post pictures just to see how I'm progressing and if I still need work... So yes i will dull her out tonight when the kids go to sleep and start over lol

Originally Posted by Utopian

Approximately how many strokes did you do on the 8 and 15 k?

Also, did you tape the spine? If so, at what stages did you change tape?

No tape though the entire progression, I bought two GD to learn how to hone with them and it's really hard to know exactly how many strokes I was doing.... I would look under the scope and when it was acceptable I moved on...

Originally Posted by Dafonz6987

No tape though the entire progression, I bought two GD to learn how to hone with them and it's really hard to know exactly how many strokes I was doing.... I would look under the scope and when it was acceptable I moved on...

GAAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhhh, RUN FOR THE HILLS, HE SAID THE CURSE WORDS, WERE ALL GONNA.... I don't know, maybe pass out, have a conniption.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Your bevel set

Those chips and that rough edge came back to haunt you at the end as you progressed through
The 2k and 5k looked pretty good then the errors from the bevel set became evident as you hit the 8k
That edge should have been "Killed" after the first bevel set at 1k then gently reset after that before progressing farther, to make sure that all the "Tooth" was gone ..

You might need to use a little pressure to set some bevels but you have to make sure that when you do that, to make sure to get rid of all those deep scratches and micro-teeth BEFORE you start climbing the honing ladder...

Yeah I notice that when I progress these chips start coming out of no where, so what your saying is that the 1k bevel setting was put properly done which resulted in my edge chipping up in the progression? My thought in this whole process is that each grit has its own level of "toothyness" and what you had to do was make it as even as possible... So what your saying is I need to get rid of all of that at the 1k level before I progress? Otherwise it's going to come back and bite me in the ass when I get to finishing?

Do a number of swirl patterns with each progression to remove the stria from the previous grit. Glen has several videos that show this. I used to be against using tap as well but after trying it I haven't gone back to NOT using it. Two or three layers during the bevel set and then drop back to one for final hone.

Your doing pretty good.
This was what I was achieving when I first started.
At least its to the edge, in my defence

Originally Posted by guitstik

GAAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhhh, RUN FOR THE HILLS, HE SAID THE CURSE WORDS, WERE ALL GONNA.... I don't know, maybe pass out, have a conniption.

Hahaha yeah I have waaaay better razors now but I refuse to practice with them... Once I get my honing down then I'll worry about other razors

Originally Posted by Dafonz6987

Hahaha yeah I have waaaay better razors now but I refuse to practice with them... Once I get my honing down then I'll worry about other razors

The biggest problem with the GD's is the inconsistent quality. So you have no idea if the problems you are experiencing are the result of your inexperience or the quality (or lack there of) of the metal in the razor.

Originally Posted by Dafonz6987

Yeah I notice that when I progress these chips start coming out of no where, so what your saying is that the 1k bevel setting was put properly done which resulted in my edge chipping up in the progression? My thought in this whole process is that each grit has its own level of "toothyness" and what you had to do was make it as even as possible... So what your saying is I need to get rid of all of that at the 1k level before I progress? Otherwise it's going to come back and bite me in the ass when I get to finishing?

You have given us much more info since the first post..

This is also a pet peeve of mine People ask a question then as the full story comes out the answers change, which again make threads travel into the useless


So lets start at where we are now

GDGD Razor
No tape

That has an issue right there that was not in the first part of this thread ...

The spines on GDGD's are notoriously not even, nor are the grinds, This is NOT my opinion, this is easily proved with using a Micrometer on either..
We are assuming that you know of the issues with the Heel and have fixed that

So now you have to even up the edge, and bevel, using a 1k and pressure, this is edge restoration NOT honing,,

The bevel needs to be even in height (Think Toothy or Serrated edge) by setting, killing, and resetting, that should accomplish getting the bevel even, then you have to attend to the differences in thickness of the grind and the uneven aspects of the spine, I would try 2 layers or tape to start..
This should take out the "slack"

Now working the edge and bevel should get you to a nice even clean starting point, for "Honing"

Now once you are at that point you can stop all the restoration techniques, and shift to nice light pressure, smooth even strokes to get the bevel clean, even, sharp, and smooth...

If you are still correcting the bevel, you are not honing, and you should not be going above the 1k yet

Getting a shaving edge on the GDGD's are not that hard once you get past the restoration stage, and move to the honing stage..

Keep in mind that the steel simply isn't that good, and that Carbon Popping does happen out of nowhere, and you get a chip out of the edge that is simply the nature of the beast... Which is why these are problematic as to being good "Learning" razors, because you have no idea as a beginner if it is the razor or you that is at fault

But keep at it, add tape, and see what happens next, that should eliminate many of the issues I am seeing in your pics..


ps: It is kinda funny as I am working through getting two razors through the same stage

If you are going to straighten an edge, especially at a low grit, e.g., 1k it is much more efficient to Joint it, (lightly drag on the corner of the stone), so that you are removing the chip and straightening the edge at the same time. Then just bring the bevels together again, once the bevels are flat and the angle is set, which should only take a few X laps.

At high grits, TNT, glass, cork, wood or hard felt will work but, I just use the corner of stone, I am honing on, and rejoin the bevels with lite pressure.

In this case as said, there is still a lot we don’t know. It could be the razor, bevel angle, cell rot, too hard or improper heat treatment, aggressive repair work, Diamond Plates, the stones, (grit, or need lapping) or just too much pressure.

But as the photos show, 1k stria is still visible and clearly chipping the edge at the finish stone, there may be additional issues going on in conjunction.

To the OP, post photos of the razor on both sides, there is a very good chance, the bevels are not even completely on the stones and we are all just spinning our wheels diagnosing your technique when the razor needs repair work, first.

Also, what have you done and what tools did you use to make corrections to the GD, before you began to hone it?