Thread: Honing my DOVO 5/8 round point

Congrats on making some good progress, patience will bend that razor to your will eventually

Ok so I got to try the dovo after re honing and actually got a decent shave : ) was super happy with the learning and the fact that I was able to get it. Same as my 4/8 not the best shave in the world but it works. Thanks again fellas for the help and encouragement.

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

That is the one thing I was wondering from what I have read BobH, I believe I read somewhere that if the bevel is not fully set then with in a few strokes or the first stroke you will lose the edge. So I am wondering if maybe I am getting it close, then after shaving a bit of leg hair off I am losing my edge. I will get a loupe next time I am in the big city. Thank you for the reply.

I've never understood this claim of "losing the edge." If you have not fully set the bevel, then your edge pretty much does not exist.

Originally Posted by eKretz

If the bevel isn't set, you don't have a new edge in the first place. Most guys will recommend that a beginner dull the edge by very lightly stroking the edge once along the rim of a glass before starting a bevel set (test to make sure it won't shave arm hair after this - if it does, give it another stroke on the glass until it doesn't) to be absolutely sure that it's brought back to a new apex all along the edge before moving on in a progression. Once you get it shaving arm hair all along the bevel again, you're ready to move up.

Well I'm not sure "most" recommend that. I'm certainly one that does not recommend that. You accomplish nothing further by dulling the edge. One way or another, you have to learn how to assess when the edge is sharp enough to indicate that the bevels are set (meeting). Whether the edge starts out partially or fully dull, you still have to get to a sharp edge.

I would say most would recommend it for a beginner. As I did. For a beginner it makes perfect sense and it does accomplish something - it lets the beginner know when the bevel is fully set. Starting out with an edge that will shave but not comfortably so relays no information to a beginner as far as progress being made, as well as could easily get a beginner to progress before even reaching the apex with a new edge (as many do not have tools like microscopes or loupes - and Sharpie on the edge can give false reads also). It obviously worked for this gentleman.

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

it lets the beginner know when the bevel is fully set.

This never has, and never will, make a lick of sense to me.

Somehow, some way, dulling the edge is believed to confer upon a beginner the ability to somehow be able to assess an edge to have attained a completed bevel set and yet for some reason if they began with an edge that was not pre-dulled they would not be able to recognize that exact same completed bevel set.

It's pretty simple. After the edge is dulled, it won't shave arm hair. After the bevel has been reset, it will shave arm hair. Starting with an edge that already shaves arm hair, how does the beginner know when he has reached a new apex? It doesn't make a lick of sense to me how this doesn't make sense to you.

Originally Posted by eKretz

It's pretty simple. After the edge is dulled, it won't shave arm hair. After the bevel has been reset, it will shave arm hair. Starting with an edge that already shaves arm hair, how does the beginner know when he has reached a new apex? It doesn't make a lick of sense to me how this doesn't make sense to you.

Seriously???

If your sole criterion for a set bevel is that it will shave arm hair then there are bigger problems. If it shaved arm hair before you dulled it, then by your definition the bevel was already set before you dulled it so what was the point of dulling it if the bevel already was set?

The reason that this does not make sense is obvious. If honing after dulling the edge simply brings the blade back to a state that cannot be distinguished from its condition prior to dulling, then you have no way to know if you have done anything to improve the condition of the edge relative to how it was before you began.

*sigh*

Are you saying that if the razor has an edge that shaves that it must have correct geometry? Because hopefully you know that it's very possible - even common when discussing a razor with unknown provenance (like from eBay) for a razor to have an edge that will shave and yet have geometry so bad that progressing on finishing stones (because one assumed the bevel was set properly) will get nowhere near the apex.

Again, this is for a beginner! Do I myself do this? No. Do I expect anyone who knows their way around a razor to do this? Whatever floats your boat.

Criteria for the bevel to be set would be a fully apexed edge from toe to heel that has proper geometry so that the hone is cutting at the apex with every stroke. Dulling the razor and bringing the edge back so that it shaves arm hair from heel to toe will accomplish this, and is an easy method for a beginner to know that they are on the right track and have the bevel set with proper geometry so that they can progress to finer stones.