Thread: Honing a wedge

The heel spur is the sharp point of the heel that is rapidly turning into a hook. (First photo at the arrow)

The smiling toe is the rounded and curving toe and toe end of the razor. (2nd photo).

You cannot hone a rounded curved toe with straight strokes. You will have to use a rolling X stroke to hone the curve.

The heel hook, will have to be removed, ground even with the edge of the razor, and the heel ground in an even curve. (3rd photo).

This will allow the middle edge to be honed, as well as the heel. A diamond file, diamond plate or low grit stone will grind the spur even with the edge.

Look at the Make me smile post for how to reprofile an edge for tools and how to.

Thanks for posting that info Euclid440, very beneficial info for new guys and a great visual illustration.

I've had to deal with the heel hook on a couple of Gold Dollar and Double Arrow razors in the past. Have also had to deal with a few rounded nose razors. Both conditions are a real pain when trying to hone a razor.

Sharpie ink will help you a lot when honing a toe. Colored ink is easier to see with the naked eye and will tell you if you have enough roll to get the whole curve.

You may, depending on the curve, need to slightly lift the heel to get the curved tip on the stone a 32nd to 16th as you roll down to the corner, in an X stroke.

Keep inking until you have the angle figured out. Once you set the bevel on the toe polishing goes quickly.

WD40 on a paper towel will easily remove any errant ink on the razor.

Hi Euclid,
First of all, thank you for the explanation and taking the time to do it!

I have to apologize, I'm new to honing and not very sharp (pun intended). So I'm afraid I still have questions. I have reviewed your link but guess, what? I couldn't tell the difference between the before and after pictures to exactly understand what you were referring to when you said remove the hook.

Do you mean, round off the sharp corner? Kind of create a small curve instead of a sharp point? In the third picture above (the one with the oval), what exactly am I looking at? Is the straight line different in the first and third pictures?

Apologies if this is frustrating, I'm happy to chat offline, but I thought your explanation might be useful to other beginners like myself if I post publicly.

Also, what's a hook? Is there an easy reference somewhere? I remember looking at something years ago, but couldn't find it.

Thank you and everyone who is taking the time to explain this!

+ 1 on the sharpie ink. I use aftershave to remove any remnants. Kinda keeping in the shaving spirit

If an improper honing stroke is use and the heel is not reduced it will form a point, when the middle is ground more than the heel, (a frown).

If that technique is continued it can form a hook, as in the photo below. A heel spur, (slight hook) or a hook can and will cut you. It will also keep the heel half of the razor off the stone and prevent it from fully contacting the stone and getting honed.

In your case, you have both a heel spur/hook and a frown, (the middle of the edge is not straight, (concave) and not getting fully honed.

Using a straight stroke exclusively, with too much pressure or low grit stone will make a frown. Look at most old kitchen knives the edge is frowned from improper honing with straight strokes.

You need to grind off the point of the heel and re shape it so there are no pointy spots, (round it off) and straighten or make the edge convex, a smile.

Heel hooks and spurs are common in razors, caused by straight strokes and stabilizers. As the razor is repeatedly honed the width is reduced and what was a gentle curve at the heel becomes squared.

Re-profiling a heel with a stabilizer also moves the heel corner forward, (where the straight edge stops and becomes round at the heel) and make the razor much easier to hone.

Part of routine honing should include a gentle reshaping of the heel to move the heel corner forward, it only takes a few strokes on a low grit stone.

Thank you! I will give it a shot, and hopefully will be back to report in a day or two with all my fingers and toes intact.

Gentlemen,
For your viewing and critiquing pleasure, I present the re-honed razor. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Welcome comments.

PS: I shaved with it today, and it was waaay smoother than before.
PPS: This was an awesome learning experience. I think it took me over 3 hours to get where it is now.

Nice work, does the bevel go all the way to the edge at the heel, hard to tell from the pic.

You can also reshape the toe and get rid of a lot of the corrosion at the toe, it would also make the smile smoother and give a more uniform look.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Nice work, does the bevel go all the way to the edge at the heel, hard to tell from the pic.

You can also reshape the toe and get rid of a lot of the corrosion at the toe, it would also make the smile smoother and give a more uniform look.

Bevel goes all the way to the toe, but just a tad thicker at the very end where it meets the shank(?)
I'm not sure I have the expertise/equipment to reshape the toe. I used a 100/200 grit stone and my arms to remove the hook and it was some work. But its a thought! I do have a motor with a stone on it that rotates at 2000 rpm (fixed ac motor). Not sure I want to put this blade on that!

No, don’t do that.

If you don’t have a diamond plate or file you can reprofile it one a piece of 220 wet and dry then hone it. Diamond plates are cheap, you don’t need a high dollar quality plate to hog off metal.

Chef Knives to Go sells a good 400/1000 grit plate for
$30, you can also use it for lapping your stones. An eBay plate will also work.

All of this is repair work, not regular honing.