Thread: Can't get 2 razors to shave

Your bevel was not fully set and the root of all your issues. A FULLY set bevel is were the bevels meet from heel to toe fully. That is the point of honing a fully usable shaving edge, from heel to toe.

Eliminate as many variables as possible and simplify the honing progression, a 2,4,8k is a solid progression. If you can shave off an 8k edge adding a 12k or paste is just frosting on the cake. Simplify. Eliminate the diamond paste also. Try some Chrome Oxide. If you do use Diamonds use lite pressure.

I suspect you are jointing and not bread-knifing, two very different techniques.

You are not honing to the edge. (first photo post 27). Use 2 layers of tape to increase the angle. Kapton tape will make you tape last longer.

Spend more time and pressure on the 2k, Joint the edge first, to straighten it. If you must start the progression with a straight edge, you first must create an edge to polish it.

You also have pitting on the bevel and edge, (photos 4.5 &6. Post 27) the pitting on the edge will need to be hone past on the 2k. Add more pressure at the 2k and refine with lite pressure finishing laps, stay on the 2k until the edge is fully created, past the pitting and all the stria is uniformed. Joint as many times as needed. Pitting only matters if it is on the edge, pitting on the bevel does not matter. Generally, you need to go a bit deeper than the pit to get to good steel.

It is not uncommon for the steel beneath a pit to be weak, it may look and test ok, but will fail with stropping.

The toe will need to be fully honed using an X stroke and very slightly lifting the heel to fully hone the toe, jointing the toe will also speed up and make a smoother radius.


Stay on the 4k use as much pressure as needed, until all the 2k stria is removed, this is critical.

“I don't see any shiny spots looking at the edge w/ a back light. I think the main issue is still the edge isn't refined. I didn't want to over do it.”

You must have seen shiny reflection at the heel and the toe. Joint the edge and look at it, so you can calibrate what an unset edge looks like, then hone until the reflections are eliminated.

Using more loupe magnification and lighted, will help greatly, at least 100X.

All your issues are common new honer issues. You are close. Make your bevels and edges match the ones posted in the Second Try at Honing at post 3.