Thread: Just honed my first smiling wedge

I've only been honing for a short while and I've been getting better and better results so I decided to finally give honing a smiling wedge a try. This James Barlow razor had a few small nicks so I knew setting the bevel would not be easy. I wanted to do unicot with my coticule but decided to set the bevel on my 1k SS. As you can see, there is some pretty funky hone wear so I decided to use two pieces of tape and then went to work. Three episodes of Person of Interest later, the chips were gone and I was popping arm hair. I then dulled the edge, replaced the tape and then commenced the Unicot. The half rolling x took some getting used to but I got it down I think. After that, I hit about 30 licks on the Trans Ark. Then 80 strokes on vintage linen and 80 on my butt hide strop. The results were surprisingly good. I was really pleased, and surprised, at how good a shave I had. I'm pretty damned proud of myself. After taking the time to set a good bevel, it was all downhill from there.

Being a wedge you probably needed the two layers of tape in order to make proper contact with the stone. On some wedges I have had to use three layers to get a good edge.

You seem to have done much better than me. The the first wedge I honed was a Thomas Turner and it took three goes to get shave ready😤😷

Nice work, the trick to the rolling x is, take your time and use ink when you start out, to ensure you are honing to the edge. Watch the water in the higher grit stones.

Smith’s Honing Solution works well on the Coticule and the Ark.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Smith’s Honing Solution works well on the Coticule and the Ark.

Do you use oil on your coticule?

I use Smith’s, a water soluble lubricant and wash in tub of clean water after use, it washes off.

I have used mineral oil, on naturals and washed in a tub if warm water and couple drops of Dove dish soap. I keep a tub of water (plastic shoe box) in the sink when honing, for soaking and lapping. So adding a few drops of soap and letting it soak for a few minutes, will dissolve any oil that soaks into the top layers.

Really Smith’s works as well as Mineral Oil, just put it in a small bottle that will release a drop at a time, 2-3 drops on a wet stone is all you need. Some Lowes and Ace Hardware stores carry it, as do most Knife stores, about $5-6.

Are you saying it is water-based?

That's a helluva wedge there; you've done well to hone it. The Barlows (father and son) made good razors, that one's way over a hundred and thirty years old!

Originally Posted by Maladroit

That's a helluva wedge there; you've done well to hone it. The Barlows (father and son) made good razors, that one's way over a hundred and thirty years old!

Thanks. It makes me reminisce about an old beat to hell Barlow pocket knife I had as a kid. I'm thrilled to have this workhorse in my stable.

Looks great - I haven't got that x-stroke down yet. Working on it though!

Adam