Thread: A tape-free experience

Paul, post of pic of the razor, sounds like bad steel. If the scales are celluloid it may be starting to off gas and attack the edge.

Sometimes you just have to remove a bit of the edge to get to good steel. If the edge is weak you may get a few shaves out of it, but it crumbles or chips after stropping.

Arks are often over looked but they offer a unique shaving edge.

FYI, when posting from a word document, you have to double space between paragraphs to get normal spacing. Don’t know why, but double spacing works.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Paul, post of pic of the razor, sounds like bad steel. If the scales are celluloid it may be starting to off gas and attack the edge.

Sometimes you just have to remove a bit of the edge to get to good steel. If the edge is weak you may get a few shaves out of it, but it crumbles or chips after stropping.

Arks are often over looked but they offer a unique shaving edge.

FYI, when posting from a word document, you have to double space between paragraphs to get normal spacing. Don’t know why, but double spacing works.

Offgassing fom the celluloid? If that truly is the case it may have become too unstable to keep on the razor, no?

Originally Posted by KenWeir

Offgassing fom the celluloid? If that truly is the case it may have become too unstable to keep on the razor, no?

Sure. If it is gassing the scales have to go.

Paul, I've seen those shape chips on razors from time to time. Throwing a piece of tape on there will give you a slightly steeper angle, which may lead to a stronger edge. So minuet that I don't know that it will matter. I hate using more than one layer though.

I honed with tape (one layer) my first year because I wanted to be sure of my ability before going 'naked.' After a year, with some confidence, I went without tape. Maybe a year later I went back to one layer. I do like the smoother feel of the blade on the stone without the tape, but trying to remember which you did with, and which without became too much of a hassle. I don't keep records, though it would be better if I did.

I would suggest a bit of synthetic action on the Sheffield. Particularly on the bevel setting. Naturals are fun, but they are not as efficient in the earlier stages of honing. AFAIC. YMMV.

I always stick with a single layer. I want my razors to have a polished spine when they leave me. Or in the case of etched steels, they need it because you don't want a shiny line on the spine of a Damascus or wootz blade. Or for that matter on normal carbon steel blades that have been blackened for example.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I always stick with a single layer. I want my razors to have a polished spine when they leave me. Or in the case of etched steels, they need it because you don't want a shiny line on the spine of a Damascus or wootz blade. Or for that matter on normal carbon steel blades that have been blackened for example.

+1. I was in that period of honing with no tape. I scored a 6/8 Wade & Butcher Bow razor with absolutely no hone wear. By the time I got done setting the bevel, finishing the razor, it had hone wear. I was so bummed and I had no one to blame but myself.

That experience had a lot to do with my resolving to go with the one layer of tape.

I took some pictures today of the Engels and would really love to get some feed back on what you all think.



I've now had three shaves since working on the edge, the last being this morning (still comfortable). I looked the edge over with a loupe when I got home and did notice a few tiny chips in the same general area as before; hard to see with 40x loupe but visible.




Also while looking at the pictures (I do apologize for the terrible quality of the pics, best I can do at the moment) I noticed the hook in the heel. I looked at a photo I took back in November 2015 and the hook was there then but now seems a bit more pronounced. I can see where the edge is cutting into the stabilizer?




There was discussion on another thread about addressing a hook in the heel. I probably would not try and profile a semi circle on this but maybe just try to smooth it out by honing. How would you do this without affecting the rest of the bevel?

Looking at older photos I think some active rust is happening in the deep pitting on the spine and other areas (one area is pushing against the bevel). This razor had bad rusting when I sent it in for a light restoration. I now think I should have been protecting it better; maybe leaving a light coat of oil on it after drying.


From pictures I've seen of scale rot; this does not seem to be a case? The blade actually looks better where protected by the scales. Thoughts?

Thanks for looking and sharing your thoughts.

Paul

I don't have first-hand experience with blade chipping caused by anything other than the faucet. The hook can be fixed with a small dmt or the edge of your bevel setting stone. Might take a bit to get it down to a smooth radius.

Originally Posted by Paulbuck

I got home and did notice a few tiny chips in the same general area as before; hard to see with 40x loupe but visible.

There was discussion on another thread about addressing a hook in the heel. I probably would not try and profile a semi circle on this but maybe just try to smooth it out by honing. How would you do this without affecting the rest of the bevel?

Are you sure you have chips & not a raggedy burr ?

You can't because the stabiliser will still lift the heel & put more pressure on the toe.

You could quite easily knock that hook back on a DMT.

Thought I'd update this thread with the latest on the Engels. I did straighten the edge. It was surprisingly difficult by hand against the side of a Norton crystolon; probably twenty minutes. I learned about steel splinters. To get the edge straight I had to match it up with the toe as that was the narrowest point. When done it rested flush on my hone. The entire bevel was gone at this point.

I used the Washita to start the bevel set initially with one layer of tape and that only got me so far. Then I went to two layers and changed to the soft arkie as I think it just cuts better than the washita. Per a hint from Steel, I left the slight slurry on the soft created by the light refreshing with the fine side of the crystolon and the stone really cuts but I just couldn't get the blade to catch my thumb pad. I learned to use my thumb pad during this endeavor as I ran it against the entire range of sharp. But it still wasn't there. Three layers and it felt like it was set.


Have to say it is a much better edge. Havn't shaved with it yet but it was passing the hanging hair test with flying colors.



It was a great learning experience. There's no active rust but there is pitting and I'll need to be diligent.



Can't wait to give it a shave. I had to run that spike into the side to the hone box to kill it a bit. Wicked.

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by Paulbuck

...I learned about steel splinters...

Ive discovered that I'm not much a fan of the 'spike' end of the razor as well. All mine get the toe rounded just a teeny bit too.