Thread: Honing poor/hard steel and bad geometry???

What is the razor in question? Razors with poor tempered steel will not take a bevel. Anything that has good heat treatment should be able to take a bevel even if the grind is not perfect and within reasonable limits.

Originally Posted by mainaman

What is the razor in question? Razors with poor tempered steel will not take a bevel. Anything that has good heat treatment should be able to take a bevel even if the grind is not perfect and within reasonable limits.

Old Hart steel razor.

One of the things that some people have done is to send it out to have someone else asses the razor and hone it. It is an option. Sometimes we struggle and struggle and in the end it is either beyond our skills or completely not our skills at all. Have you ever had a good shave with this razor? Did it come with a great edge?

Originally Posted by RezDog

One of the things that some people have done is to send it out to have someone else asses the razor and hone it. It is an option. Sometimes we struggle and struggle and in the end it is either beyond our skills or completely not our skills at all. Have you ever had a good shave with this razor? Did it come with a great edge?

It did not shave well when I got it very tuggy. I have had good shaves with it, but not as crisp as all my other Hart blades. I can get a very straight and chip free edge with this razor but there is just that white faint reflective line that exist after I strop it that will not come together. I have honed modern and vintage razors with out any problems except for this one bloody razor.

Originally Posted by dshaves

It did not shave well when I got it very tuggy. I have had good shaves with it, but not as crisp as all my other Hart blades. I can get a very straight and chip free edge with this razor but there is just that white faint reflective line that exist after I strop it that will not come together. I have honed modern and vintage razors with out any problems except for this one bloody razor.

If there is an experienced member near by, and it sounds like you have already met with Bejay before, then I think you should get together with him and this razor, or perhaps just give or send him this razor.

Originally Posted by RezDog

If there is an experienced member near by, and it sounds like you have already met with Bejay before, then I think you should get together with him and this razor, or perhaps just give or send him this razor.

I will probably get with him. What I cannot understand is how my other Harts with the same 1/4" grind and manufactured steel? have no problems setting bevels and shave wonderfully but this one won't.

It sounds mysterious. A meet should get you beyond this one way or the other. It may have nothing to do with your honing.

Originally Posted by dshaves

Old Hart steel razor.

Start with 2 layers of tape

The first production Harts were made at 12° - 13° angles

You might need a 3rd layer Micro bevel to get it to hold since you weakened the bevel by chasing it without tape...

hint***

Each layer of 700 3M tape will change the bevel angle about .65° (varies with razor size figured at 6/8) so 2 layers = 1.3° change

So if you started at 12.5 and add 2 layers you would be at 14° ish the Straight Razor formula targets 16° as the sought after angle

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Start with 2 layers of tape

The first production Harts were made at 12° - 13° angles

You might need a 3rd layer Micro bevel to get it to hold since you weakened the bevel by chasing it without tape...

hint***

Each layer of 700 3M tape will change the bevel angle about .65° (varies with razor size figured at 6/8) so 2 layers = 1.3° change

So if you started at 12.5 and add 2 layers you would be at 14° ish the Straight Razor formula targets 16° as the sought after angle

I will try that as it is worth a shot, I could only learn something. Should I start with the 1k Chosera or since I am so close should I just bevel set on the 4k SG?

Since you are going "UP" in angle that should pull it together for you

If it were me I would start at the 3-5 k level and sneak up on it