Thread: Bevel width

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Mark the belly of the bevel for registration, take photos of the same spot each time for comparison.

BTW, that is not a photo of a razor I honed. It is PCM’s razor from the post My second Try at Honing, as are all the photos I posted. It was the second razor he had honed.

Read through that post and look at the photos, your bevels and edges should look like his at the various stages in the progression.

Thank you very much.

Can you explain belly of the bevel please and what does mark for registration mean?

I would love to read the thread by PCM but I can't find it, even using search.

Would you mind letting me have a link to it?

Make a mark on the razor from the edge to the spine. As you hone you will remove the ink from the bevel, but it will still be on the belly of the razor.

Then when you take a micrograph, line up that mark each time so you are photographing the exact same spot each time and you can make a comparison and see if the bevel and edge are improving. You will be able to lock on a unique stria or defect (rust spot) in the bevel each time.

Looking at random photos do not tell you a whole lot other than general condition. You want specific information that you can quantify.

If you look at the My Second Try at Honing, PCM had all the same issues as you are experience, He did not get the bevels set until post 51, (20 days) and until he became systematical about honing. He honed and posted photos of the razor for 58 days.

You want to learn how to hone a razor in a manner that is repeatable and will deliver consistent results. It is not difficult, but you must complete each stage in the process before you move on.

Once you focus on one thing, (Photo the same spot) then look at the whole razor and make each millimeter look like that spot.

Everybody hones differently, has different equipment and razor, but one 1k bevel set should look like a 1k bevel set. In the process you will learn which techniques work for you and what the causes are of what you see through the scope.

And that is the trick, understanding what it is you see.

One word about pressure, you use as much pressure as needed to set the bevel. If you do use pressure to grind the bevels flat, you finish with lite laps to even out the stria and straight out the edge. If you have to use a lot of pressure or an aggressive stone, jointing the edge will straighten the edge with a few finish laps. So, do not be afraid to use pressure, just follow it up with lite finish laps.

Circles will remove a lot of material faster because you are grinding/homing in random directions. But once the bevels are truly flat the rest goes quickly, the bevels must be flat. I do not think your bevels are completely flat, you may be close, but close does not count if you are not honing the edge.

(Second Try at Honing)

Er, change of plan.

I want this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuj5Zn1KwRU

Originally Posted by STF

Er, change of plan.

I want this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuj5Zn1KwRU

It will do better than that if you stick with the program and gitter done.

Originally Posted by STF

Er, change of plan.

I want this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuj5Zn1KwRU

Well now you're just splitting hairs Steve.

Originally Posted by STF

Er, change of plan.

I want this

Nope. You really don't.
Your goal should be a razor that cuts the hair silently clean in two with a light touch. And that hair should be so fine it's barely visible.
A razor that is not shave ready can split hair.