Thread: Newbie Q: can't get razor sharp enough

“I bet there might be something wrong with the geometry or my technique.”

Naw, probably not geometry. That is the one thing I don’t like about the 12k super stone is that they load up with black swarf and at that grit it can affect performance, polishing ability. You can clean the stone while on the stone holder with a green scotch brite pad, I keep a sponge on my honing tray to absorb excess water, or you can use a rubbing stone, a small diamond plate or a nagura to rub off the swarf, some have used an eraser. Or just give it a quick lap.

If it was new and you have not put it on an aggressive stone, it should be easy to fix with the 12k.

Once you get your scope or with any magnification, ink your bevels, I like colored ink it is easier to see. You can probably see it with the naked eye.

Do a light lap on your 12k, make sure the stone has been lapped and the edges of the stone are beveled or rounded. Now look at the bevel and the edge. Are you removing ink all the way to the edge, is the edge straight or chipped?

Now look at the edge, straight down on the edge, do you see any shiny reflections. Reflections are where the bevels are not meeting or chips, there is a good picture of a fully meeting edge, (post 51, page 11) and one almost meeting (post 42, page 9) in the (Second try at Honing) post. If the bevels are not fully meeting, it will not shave well, the edge, true edge is very thin.

You also want the bevel to be as stria free as possible, deep stria end in a chip at the edge.

What you see will determine your next step, be sure to tape the spine.