Thread: my trying to hone

Jerry, here is a post with some good micrographs of an edge, also lots of good honing info and photographs.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honing/124034-second-try-honing-seeking-opinions-suggestions.html

It is a bit long, but post 42, page 9, Photos 4 & 5 (upper right hand corner) show and edge that is close, (but, not fully set).

Post 51, page 11, first photo, shows a fully set bevel.

60X is plenty, you can see edge reflections, with the naked eye and a strong light, but any magnification under 100X, is easier. Any reflection and you have a chip or bevels not meeting.

Look straight down on the edge and roll the razor, from side to side, you should see a fuzzy grey line, like in post 51. It is a pretty, conclusive test.
If you see reflections, look at the spot from the side, so you know what that looks like on the bevel, and can spot issues when looking at the bevels, it will look rough, where they are not meeting fully or it is a chip.

You will have to experiment with your stone, some will finish on plain water, some like a very thin slurry, a drop or two of, Smith Honing Solution, for final finish and light strokes also helps.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I will tty the sharpie trick. Hadnt thought of that. I should be good but that will surely tell. As far as looking straight down the edge? I've tried that but i cant see the edge. Maybe i need sttonger than 60x to see it. Could be these old eyes too. Ha.

Thanks for the help. Ill work on thiscdome more in a few days. Going to be on the road trying to catch up because of the holiday.

Merry Christmas to all and the finest of New Years!

Or, you can strop it and try a shave. Using the marker test is more practical at the bevel setting stage than at finishing. As far as looking straight down on the edge goes, NOT seeing it is the goal! Of course, that is only true if it is invisible due to it being so thin that it doesn't reflect any light straight up. If it is invisible because of old eyes, that's another matter! Regardless, 60x is sufficient magnification for edge evaluation.

Well, by looking at those picture my pictures really suck! Might are not even close to that clear. I need to work on that for sure. Ill keep working on this. See if i can see any reflection on the edge. Thanks for the comments guys. Im going to read that thread and try to learn from it. And work on my pictures! Thanks again.

Yes, but he is using a USB scope 2-400 X, I think. But that is what you should be seeing through your loupe, or similar. With a Jnat you will not see the stria pattern but a hazy Kazumi edge.

There are some great photos and videos on Jnat honing, bevels and edges at The Japan Stone, Alex Gilmore’s website.

Or search Alex Gilmore, Youtube

Check them out.

I got off work early today. Only a 13 hr day. I've spend the last 30 min's trying to look at the edge or getting a clearer look at the bevel. I just cant see the edge and I cant get a clearer picture. Sorry. At least I know why I'm having such problems now. I cant hold things still enough! Think I might have to get a microscope of some kind. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on one so I don't know what I can do right now. I've tried to hold razor against the table but that isn't helping my shaking hands holding the loupe. I'll see about a USB device that hold the razor and all. Then I'll be ok. But for now its a loosing battle.

Thank you all for the help. I'll see if I can find something else besides a hand held loupe to use and then get back at it.

One issue is that you probably do have a bevel set so you won't see anything. I have a hard time with the reflecting edge thing too.

Sometimes you can just have a strong overhead light (even without magnification) and slowly rotate the blade and when the edge is pointed up you shouldn't see anything so if you see light reflecting in some places and not others it's not completely set.

Usually this would be near the toe and heel.

Originally Posted by gcbryan

One issue is that you probably do have a bevel set so you won't see anything.

Exactly!
Magnification is extremely helpful but it does not need to be the only means of assessment. Looking at reflected light off the bevels and edge do not need magnification. You also can use the thumb pad test. Of course, you also can just shave with it. You actually can get a perfectly decent shave off of a 1k and it should just continue to get better off of each successive hone. If you cannot get a proper shave off of your 1k, then your bevels probably are not meeting yet.

It failed shave test. Im going to start over. I got some nagura stones on the way. And with better magification i think ill be better off. We will see in the future if it gets better after i start over.

I should ask, do you have any razors that you can shave with?

Yep. I got a couple i still use. Not goingvto mess those up. Plus i got 3 more in the mail headed to me that Cudarunner just fixed up for me. So im good as far as shaving. Ive only messed with one, well, ok two. But im not going to mess with anymore until i get the rest of my stones in the mail.

I had thought about tnt then go agsin to see if it made any difference. Shes just not cutting like she should.