Update on Complete Re-Hone (With new questions!)

[PalmedAce]

Hi guys!

thanks for the input on my last post regarding re-honing an old razor. Just thought I'd update those that are interested as well as get a little expertise on moving forward.

So I started with a vintage Carrara blade that had an essentially straight spine but a slightly smiling edge. Being the 'day 1 expert' I can be sometimes, I decided to take my roughest hone to the blade to get the edge dead straight. Spent some time on the 800 hone to get my bevel pretty much where I thought I wanted it then an hour or 2 on the 2000 hone to get things nice and smooth. Decided to see where i was at so I played around with shaving hairs and noticed the 2 ends were far FAR sharper than the guts of the blade. Literally left tire tracks down my leg as you can see in the photo.



ANYWAY... I'm ready to learn my lesson SO...

1) Will I be able to achieve a straight blade that is shaving sharp if I keep honing OR
2) Do I have to hone until I get that smile back?

Really not concerned either way, if the blade wants to smile then let it be so. Just would like some input on whether I should just jump back on the 800 and get it done, or keep working at the 2000 in the hope I get a decent edge eventually? Also what guidelines do you guys use for knowing when to finish honing/stropping at 1 level then move to the next?

Anyway I hope this can be a valuable discussion for myself and others who may be new to honing/restoration, thanks in advance!

Matt

[OCDshaver]

WOW. A smile is something that I normally don't think of as something needing correction. You are potentially grinding away a lot of innocent steel there. The effects have been that you destroyed the bevel. I would work to re-establish the bevel and evaluate it from there.

[prodigy]

pictures of the blade, and bevel, will help. smiles are good, so trying to remove it to begin with was probably not the best approach. if its not right on the 800, the 2000 is not going to fix it. what other stones do you have?

[PalmedAce]

Yep, totally agree now that I've seen the result! This has been more about learning than anything and so far it's achieved that aim. Like I said, do you think this will need to be honed back to a smile or will this acquire a straight shaving edge with enough honing?

[prodigy]

Yep, totally agree now that I've seen the result! This has been more about learning than anything and so far it's achieved that aim. Like I said, do you think this will need to be honed back to a smile or will this acquire a straight shaving edge with enough honing?

thats impossible to determine without pictures. its likely going to be an either way situation.

[PalmedAce]

Hi prodigy,

The closeup shows the blade now, the other image was from before I attacked it. The original smile was very slight. I Have a double side 240/800 stone, a 2000 stone and I have strops with diamond compound at 6, 3 & 1 micron. I also have a double side finishing paddle strop.

[OCDshaver]

Yep, totally agree now that I've seen the result! This has been more about learning than anything and so far it's achieved that aim. Like I said, do you think this will need to be honed back to a smile or will this acquire a straight shaving edge with enough honing?

You stated that the spine was straight. That would suggest that you don't HAVE to hone a smile back into it. Again, that might be taking away further precious steel. Lets leave that alone for now. The sides cut hair. Its the center that isn't. That tells me that your bevel is not set in the middle. Before you go any further, check to ensure that you did not turn the smile into a frown. If it looks straight, I would use the 2000 hone to establish the bevel. Many older razors from barber shops used to wear the tip of the razor to put a little curve in them so that harsh corners didn't cut their customers. Best to leave that be and work on getting the edge back in cutting form.

[PalmedAce]

The pictures I just added are the best I can do with the camera I've got, the closeup has marker pen on the blade which makes it look like a frown but I can assure you it's straight

[OCDshaver]

I hate to say it but the blade was fine before you started.

[PalmedAce]

Yep, that's a fair comment. Like I said, this is all about learning.