Thread: Honing service in Canada? Preferably Western Canada?

Hey, does anyone have any recommendations for honing services in Canada? I'm in Vancouver, so the West would be easier for me, if possible.

I have some new antique razors, and while I'm pretty comfortable doing maintenance honing, I would rather start them in life with a better edge that I can manage from scratch.

Two of them are wedges, and one is a "hollow ground" Wade and Butcher that is probably quarter hollow at best, but which has some odd hone wear on the spine that makes it a little tricky to get a good consistent edge on.

Any suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks!

I’m also on the west coast. I have a weird work schedule and crazy slow mail service. If you get no other response send me a PM

Will do - thanks!

I can vouch for RezDog's honing. 4 or 5 years ago, when making scales for a W&B Barber's Rattler, he put an incredible edge on the blade. I have yet to touch it up, it's still keen and smooth.

There are some guys on the Canadian Wetshavers FB page that hone for others, but I can't vouch for most of them. There is one guy in Victoria who is quite good - although I think he mostly just hones his own razors. Anyways, if you're interested, I can put you in touch.

There are more options out east, as well.

Thanks - this is useful!

I'd love some more contacts, so if you have the names of good people in Victoria or even out East, I'd love to hear them!

I managed to solve my own problem with my current Wade and Butcher, but I have a couple of true wedges coming in, and I have no idea how to approach them at all!

Thanks!

Phil at https://classicedge.ca/ does excellent work.

When you say true wedge, do you mean as depicted here https://shavelibrary.com/w/The_strai...ths_and_grinds ?

Bob

Awesome - thanks!

And yes, I mean a wedge with no hollow.

I've never tried sharpening one of those before!

Aha - I see - Phil doesn't do Wedges. So the quest continues! Still, it's good to have more options for every instance!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by skald

Awesome - thanks!

And yes, I mean a wedge with no hollow.

I've never tried sharpening one of those before!

Aha - I see - Phil doesn't do Wedges. So the quest continues! Still, it's good to have more options for every instance!

Thanks!

They made very few true wedges so to find two is uncommon. When you get them lay a straight edge from spine to bevel just to if there is any light between it and the blade. If they are true wedges you are going to have to figure a way to widen the spine enough to to hone normally and get a proper bevel angle. It could mean using a slip on false spine just for honing.

Bob

Huh. Had not thought of a slip on spine. Cool thought.

If these turn out to be near wedges instead of true wedges, would you suggest the same thing?

One last stupidly obvious question; since I've only ever honed razors using the spine as a guide, I have no idea what the ideal blade angle is. Is there a quick answer to that, or is that something I will need to delve into?

I'll do some research!

I wonder what they did when those were in vogue? Some kind of jig would make sense, but I wonder if it was just freehand.

Thanks again for all of your help.

The math is out there to find out the angle. Mine is built into my spreadsheet so i cant jelp with that. Bit i bet you have near hollows. Ive never seen a full wedge. Not that i dont think they exist. The odds are very slim.

If you can het Rez to hone for ya you will be happy. But his work schedule is worse than mine. And Im a damn truck driver!