Thread: Setting bevel

I reset the bevel on a razor today and noticed the the width of the bevel was wider on one side than the other when I looked at it under a microscope. What causes the difference in bevel width?

Uneven pressure (too much on the wide side), or more strokes on the wide side than the other.

Does the bevel width make any difference? Should I just be mindful next time I need to set it.

I would make an effort to try and even them out before moving forward. Maybe do 2 or 3 strokes to the thin side to one on the wide side until they're about the same width. Having the bevel set proper is instrumental for a razor. A mistake there will show when you go to shave with it.

I got a great edge on it. I would hate to start all over. I set the bevel on a 1k.

Originally Posted by Marshal

Uneven pressure (too much on the wide side), or more strokes on the wide side than the other.

Not necessarily. The bevel is entirely a product of geometry.

A line is defined by two points.

A plane is defined by two lines. The face of a bevel is a plane defined by the line of the spine and the line of the edge. Everything exterior to the plane of the bevel will be removed by honing. If the grind in one region of the blade is thicker, then more steel will need to be removed and so the bevel will be wider in that region relative to other parts of the blade.

Of course though, bad honing will cause it too!

I tape after set the bevel

Assuming that the razor is ground perfectly even, it could be a pressure issue. Personally, I don't think it is necessary to ensure the bevel is perfectly even on both sides. Kamisori are very much uneven. The main issue would be the uneven pressure leading to wire issues I would think

Thanks for all the help. Hail to the Redskins!

Originally Posted by Utopian

Not necessarily. The bevel is entirely a product of geometry.

A line is defined by two points.

A plane is defined by two lines. The face of a bevel is a plane defined by the line of the spine and the line of the edge. Everything exterior to the plane of the bevel will be removed by honing. If the grind in one region of the blade is thicker, then more steel will need to be removed and so the bevel will be wider in that region relative to other parts of the blade.

Of course though, bad honing will cause it too!

Very true, but I figure if the bevel was even or close to, and is lopsided now, the cause is likely the hands of the last person to hone the razor. I could be wrong of course, but when I first honed it my Dovo ended up much the same. Fast forward a year, and now the bevel is more or less even because I have a better feel for pressure and count passes on the stones religiously. My assumption (and we all know how those are) is that he's fairly new and making similar mistakes to what I was not so long ago.