Thread: How higer magnification made me a better honer.

I'd love to see pictures of this microchipped edge . How the edge looks can be a factor of the steel as well as the honing.
Of course if you're leaving behind 1k etc scratches it's not good but a less than perfect looking edge can shave perfectly especially a razor with top steel eg a Puma vs a Dovo.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I'd love to see pictures of this microchipped edge . How the edge looks can be a factor of the steel as well as the honing.
Of course if you're leaving behind 1k etc scratches it's not good but a less than perfect looking edge can shave perfectly especially a razor with top steel eg a Puma vs a Dovo.

I've changed my tune on that edge. I like 'less than perfect'. It does shave perfect.
Be pretty tough to get an image out of that old microscope thank God! But then again, with the group that frequents this forum, a solution is on its way!
Paul

Originally Posted by earcutter

I just put that same Dovo back onto the black ark and really set out to polish it. I got to it nearly being impossible to see any scratches via the naked eye. Then I went full on black with a CrOx slurry. The edge has never looked so polished! So I put some tape on it and did a couple of laps on a 10K synthetic.

The scratches came back instantly, but the hairs on my arm are just popping off. It’s been a while since this old blade has been this sharp! Hope it’s as comfortable as last time!

So, you went back to the 10k then a shave? Be curious what it would have felt like if you'd have shaved right off the CrOx slurry. I was really blown away.
Look forward to hear your feedback.
Thanks for giving it a try!

Originally Posted by Paulbuck

I've changed my tune on that edge. I like 'less than perfect'. It does shave perfect.
Be pretty tough to get an image out of that old microscope thank God! But then again, with the group that frequents this forum, a solution is on its way!
Paul

The Spyderco-like edges that shave perfectly are the exception to the rule but you will get them & the shave test will baffle you.

You just have to keep honing & you'll come across this rare phenomenon

Yea, it’s the Chinese tape on eBay, here is a guy selling 19mm for $3.91 per roll. EBay Kapton tape.

It works well for honing, don’t know about other uses.

Originally Posted by Paulbuck

So, you went back to the 10k then a shave? Be curious what it would have felt like if you'd have shaved right off the CrOx slurry. I was really blown away.
Look forward to hear your feedback.
Thanks for giving it a try!

Well, I did that last time, and it was great. This time I really went to town on the Black and then the CrOx Slurry - I'm positive it would have been fantastic, but I decided to try the micro bevel via the 10K. I did strop with a 1/4 micron diamond paste and then moved up to the CrOx strop again before hitting the leather.

It's the best edge that little Dovo has ever had. I can't wait to try it on another razor!!

Really interesting and informative thread! I always struggle with my loupe to really see what's going on. This makes me want to go out and get a nice little usb scope.

The trick to using high magnification or any magnification for that matter is understanding what you are seeing. Not what direction a scratch goes, how deep it looks, or how much detail you see, but why is it there?

That you have deep and random scratches at the 1k after doing circles is one thing, but if at your finish stone you have deep diagonal stria ending in a chip at the edge, there is a problem, and the question you should ask, is why is it there, now?

I have found that for most new guys, 60-100X is a good start. I like the Carson Micro Bright, they are cheap, cheap to run (2 AA batteries) and have decent LED light. The Micro Max uses button batteries that are more expensive and a pain to change. The Micro Bright has a push button light switch that can easily be turned off, if you lay the scope down on the bench with the light on, which I often do.

Once you get the hang of how to hold the scope to the edge (start with the scope resting on the bevel and spine then focus), fiddle with the angle to see all the bevel, it becomes second nature. They run 10-15 bucks, buy 2 and keep one in the bathroom, when you feel something during a shave you can have a quick look.

USB scopes will show you much more, but really most any thing you see at 400X you will see at 100X, just with more detail. And it is a hassle to stop and put it under a scope, and if you take pics, then labeling and organizing pics so that later you know what you are looking at, just takes more time. USB scopes are great for taking bevel photos, and with good photos others can see what you see and help you diagnose a problem.

When honing a quick look is what I want, the Carson is what I grab and usually at 60X.

Look at old honing post, with good bevel pics and explanations of what they were seeing, how they interpreted the pic and how they resolved issues, will help you understand the honing process. (A Second Try at Honing), by PCM is a good thread with great pics and lot of good questions by the OP, who was a new honer at the time, it was the second razor he had honed.

I keep a Word document with thread Links copied and pasted into the document and comments of interesting post and page and or post numbers for quick reference.

Not understanding what you are seeing, while looking through a 10x loupe is like trying to learn to drive a car, while looking though a dirty windshield & wearing dark sunglasses.

Not surprisingly most honing issues are a matter of an incomplete bevel set. Hummm, I think I heard that somewhere before…

I just ordered a Carson Micro Bright - Should have it in two days.

Great post!!

Well, it came today. Woot!




First thing I did was look at my pocket knifes edge, and then compared it to my Dovo Straight - the one that I for a used on the Black with a CrOx slurry. Man what a difference. But I was still shocked at how large/deep some of the scratches looked on my Dovo. But that’s what 60x magnification will do for you eh!

I decided to try another blade to give the black/CrOx treatment to. Looking through my collection, my W&B popped out at me. I haven’t shaved with it in what? 3? Maybe 4 years. But it always gave a great shave, and I always honed it on my Arks anyway. It was my next victim.



Now you need to know before looking at the next pic, I’m a 4/8 guy. I love 4/8s. But it’s really hard to find a Wade & Butcher in 4/8. Or at least it was when I was looking. So in spite of the wear on this things spine, that I didn’t give it, I still bought it and yay me because, she shaves.



Now I’m not going to lie, I put this thing away in good shape. Looking at its edge, like I said an Ark edge always, it had insanely shallow scratch patterns and an edge that looked laser straight - even at 60x! Way “better” than my Dovo, and the Dovo shaved great! I went at it anyway. It was really hard to notice a difference save it looked more polished and the micro rust I saw was gone.

I then added another layer of tape and made a micro bevel with my 10K just like I did with my Dovo so I cold compare apples to apples. Man! At 60x you see this lovely edge that’s all messed up for just the smallest of smallest at the very edge! It’s amazing to see it!

This little microscope is great fun! Not the easiest to use, but for $12.00, for what you get, upud be a fool to complain!




I can’t wait to try this edge!