Thread: Honing a W&B wedge, was giving me fits!

Ok I bought a W&B wedge not long ago while at a gun show, say it peaking out from under a glass case and nabbed it. Blade and scales are both in good shape for a razor that is 100+ years old. Well I have been trying to get it honed up so I could shave with this baby and 2 times now I thought oh heck it is taking arm hair I must have it only to be disappointed when it came time to test shave. So I finally purchased a pocket microscope and tonight I learned what an important tool that is to have and what in the world I am supposed to be doing with it!

So I decided that tonight I was going to play with getting a bevel set on this razor. Put on 3 layers of tape got a nice uniform bevel that I could see with my naked eye, removed 1 layer of tape and continued on 15 micron lapping film. Again I got a really nice even bevel, was sticky to the pad of my finger and was biting into my wet nail so I thought ok bevel set. I looked at it with my scope and far as I could see both side of the edge came down and met.

Onto my lesson, So I started going up 4k, 8k and 12k. 4k looked good then I went to 8k. The edge was polished except for what looked like a super fine grey line right at the very edge. I thought what in the world?? Went back to 4k for a bit all looked well, as soon as I would start getting a polish on my edge from 8k out would come this line! Finally under my scope I was able to find that when I had 3 layers of tape I had set my bevel, then once I removed the 1 layer of tape and thought I had re set my bevel I had in fact not!!! There was still stria pattern from the 15um lapping film at the very edge, That was the grey line I was seeing. Im not gonna lie it sure looked like it but, I had not actually brought both sides of the blade to an apex to create a bevel with 2 layers of tape like I had thought. So once I put 3 layers of tape back on and went to the lapping film it took only a few strokes to get my original bevel back and nice stria pattern. then 4k and on up.

Finally I have a wedge razor that I promise you will shave I have not one doubt in my mind! I have been chasing my tail and not getting why in the world I can get edges on every other razor I own except my wedges. Now I can see what in the heck I am doing so I believe my other wedge will be in rotation soon enough

Bottom line learn your tools and it no longer is work. Thanks for letting me get that out fellas, I hope this may help someone some day

Good job getting it figured out. its a good idea to kill the edge before resetting the bevel with a layer of tape removed. Otherwise your bevel tests won't tell you anything.

I will remember that I have another W&B wedge to get too that I have had even longer. I guess honestly I don't know why I was removing a layer of tape in the first place. I feel like I have read that at some point but can not remember for sure. I guess I will just stick with 3 layers of tape and be happy Thank you for the advice Bejay

I have heard of people adding a layer of tape before going to the finishing hone but never removing a layer of tape. In any event good work in figuring it all out in the end.

Bob

Why not start and finish with 4 layers of tape ?
Strop with no tape, weightless, tiny slack..
I love honing W & B.

[QUOTE=JOB15;1681248]Why not start and finish with 4 layers of tape ?
Strop with no tape, weightless, tiny slack..
I love honing W & B.[/QUOTE

Well I went with 3 initially because that is what felt right. Other than that I have no good answer for my actions. Like I said I really have no Idea why I removed 1 layer in the first place. Putting another layer back on was the right thing to do in any event. I finished everything with 3 layers, I have yet to strop it that will come in the a.m. once I get home

[QUOTE=ejmolitor37;1681249]

Originally Posted by JOB15

Why not start and finish with 4 layers of tape ?
Strop with no tape, weightless, tiny slack..
I love honing W & B.[/QUOTE

Well I went with 3 initially because that is what felt right. Other than that I have no good answer for my actions. Like I said I really have no Idea why I removed 1 layer in the first place. Putting another layer back on was the right thing to do in any event. I finished everything with 3 layers, I have yet to strop it that will come in the a.m. once I get home

If your having trouble reaching the edge you have a few options.
1. Bring each side of the bevel to a flatness. Not easy.

2. Hone with trickery rolling x's and so forth.Takes time to learn.

3. Add another layer of tape. Easy.

I always hone with 2 layers of tape personally.

I could be wrong in what I say but I have thousands of hours honing under my belt and I know what works for me.

Good luck..keep at it...

Thank you for the advice, on my hollow grounds I have been trying to just use 1 layer just to protect the spine from me. But from my reading these old wedges take more tape or just let it ride which I first did attempt with this razor but it started getting close to the "fine india steel " stamp in the center of the blade so that is why I went with tape. Thanks again JOB15

I personally would not through the idea of using four layers of tape out there unless the blade has some serious issues. That much tape will cause a notable change in the geometry of the bevel. The layers also become squishy and give you an inconsistent surface. Not saying that it can't be done, but it should be avoided if possible IMO. A wedge CAN be a pain if it has a lot of wear and a wide bevel. I've also honed old Sheffield wedges with little to no wear then honed up as easy and the thinnest hollow ground blade(without tape). The wider the bevel, the more work you have to do on each stone. There really isn't a magic number for layers of tape. You've got to figure out what's going to work for you and the specific blade that your working on. Once that bevel is set though, you've got to either stick with that many layers, or reset it with a different amount of layers.

Good job figuring things out. Once you establish a bevel set, if you flatten your angle(this is what happens when removing tape), you lose your ability to reach the edge of the blade with the hone.