Thread: ready to call it quits....

Thanks Ivo.

Originally Posted by radiofree

Thanks for your suggestions. I just have one more question: what is this I keep reading about rounding the edges of the hone? Am I misreading this?

So...I'll need a 220 or 320grit and something flat, like plate glass or a marble floor tile...?

A sharp edge on a hone can cause microchips in the razors edge so just slightly round them off.

radiofree,

I believe that Norton recommends 400 grit for the 4K and 600 grit for the 8K. The grit of the lapping material (lapper) does not change the grit of the stone (lappee), all that happens is that you remove the high spots down to the elevation (depression?) of lowest point on the stone surface. The texture left by the coarser grit of the lapping medium simply allows for swarf gathering from the sharpening process and a leveling process that does not polish or glaze the surface of the stone to the point it will no longer work as an effective hone. Norton also sells a lapping plate of very rigidly held aluminum oxide particles of about 220 grit and recommends it for use on all their waterstones. I've tried one and it does work very fast. I've also tried the wet or dry paper on a small granite surface plate. That process also works very fast. Both plate or paper need to be kept very wet while lapping to carry of all the material worn off the softer stone so clogging those fine pores can be avoided.

good luck, Bruce

Randy makes a good point when he says the factory bevel is probably off. I have only worked on a half dozen or so new Dovos, but all the ones I've seen had a bevel that was too steep. The hone doesn't make contact with the edge of the razor, just the upper part of the bevel. If you find yourself honing for a while and not seeing any change in the edge, this could be a cause.

Good luck,
Josh

Bruce, thanks for your explanation. JoshEarl, I think that's what seems to be happening: the bevel is too "steep" and causing the edge itself to not make full contact with the stone. I'll get back to everyone and let you guys know my progress after a good lapping.

I don't think anyone mentioned drawing a grid on the hone with a pencil , before you lap it . Lap your hone until all the lines are gone and it will be flat . (I learned that here , on this forum) Good luck with your honing . .....Dave

So...I lapped the stone. Remembering (I learned that about the pencil from this forum, too, Dave. Thanks!) to draw the grid. I used one variation, though. I was unable to find (the hardware store didn't have it) a flat tile, so I attached the sandpaper to a hand sander with clamps and moved over the stone in a figure 8 motion. I then honed 40 times on the 4K and 25 on the 8K. I shaved. I DID notice a change...better shaving. I'm getting there. Not great, but better. I'll just have to keep at it.

I'm glad to hear it's getting better for you . I would try 15 very light passes on the 8k and see what happens . BTW , I use 600 grit wet/dry paper on a piece of 1/4" plate glass , and liberal amounts of water when I lap my hone

Use your kitchen countertop instead of the power sander. It will give a flatter end result.

i'll admit i winced when i heard the words power sander and stone in the same sentence