Honing on a scratched BBW and Chosera 1K... would that harm a razor's edge?

Hi, there,

I've been using Chosera 1K, BBWs and Coticules for about a year or more so far. They don't have much wear but some of them are "scratched", especially my large BBW. No picture of my Chosera 1k because I've removed scratches very easily with a diamond plate.

However, getting rid of the scratches on my BBW's surface seems rather daunting... I've done some honing on that surface anyway, Gold Dollar, Bokers... but I'm afraid I can't tell a difference in the resulting edge before and after that scratched surface.

I'm pretty sure I made those scratches when performing a rolling X-Stroke on some of my razors.

And since I've been honing for only about a year, I've got two questions and I'd really appreciate any piece of advice...

1) Can these scratches harm a razor's edge or is it only a cosmetic issue?

2) Should I take them away some way or leave my waterstones as they are right now?

And the other side of my BBW is scratched as well and I'm not really sure if I should care or not...

Pictures below...

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Lap it if it bothers you. I've done that a few times myself, with Thurigan and Coties.

I typically use slurry. By doing so, it removes the light scratches left from previous honing.

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Originally Posted by outback

Lap it if it bothers you. I've done that a few times myself, with Thurigan and Coties.

I typically use slurry. By doing so, it removes the light scratches left from previous honing.

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I've tried that with both diamond plate and slurry stones but they just don't go away :(

I think that making the scratches with your razors is more harmful than the scratches themselves. I too have done that, and I have just lapped them out Typically it was from heels that needed correction. I was just trying to get a fresh edge one more time.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I think that making the scratches with your razors is more harmful than the scratches themselves. I too have done that, and I have just lapped them out Typically it was from heels that needed correction. I was just trying to get a fresh edge one more time.

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Well, it was the only way I could finally get the points as sharp as I desired for shaping my goatee precisely; and it worked. Anyway, do you think this stone is still usable?

My preference is flat. Sometimes I will lap stuff like that out over a series of honing sessions. As long as you are not catching the edge in the scratches, it will work. My standard honing system involves regularly checking the edge with a loupe. If you are even just a little bit catching the edge in the scratches, it will show as dings in the edge with the loupe. If it is interfering with your edge progression, then fix them right away. Otherwise you can remove them over a series of honing sessions. I regularly clean my hone on a lapping plate between razors when I’m honing. As opposed to a full lapping where I use a grid pattern to get my hone truly flat. I do not lap often but I do clean regularly with honing. It also helps to generate slurry if I want a little more aggressive of a session.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I think that making the scratches with your razors is more harmful than the scratches themselves. I too have done that, and I have just lapped them out Typically it was from heels that needed correction. I was just trying to get a fresh edge one more time.

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^^^^^^

That

You need to figure out where the scratches are coming from and correct that first..

BBW are fairly soft stones, those scratches should come out pretty easy but if you are creating more as you hone it is just a waste of stone to take them out

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

^^^^^^

That

You need to figure out where the scratches are coming from and correct that first..

BBW are fairly soft stones, those scratches should come out pretty easy but if you are creating more as you hone it is just a waste of stone to take them out

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I rubbed it against my diamond plate for about 1 hour yesterday but they didn't go away... My only worries is those scractches harming the edge...

Might be the diamond plate. Try 600 or 1000 wet dry paper, on a flat surface.

Have you still got some BBW left after one hour of rubbing? Should have worn the stone out or your diamond hone itself is worn. A flat hone surface is important, scratches are no problem.

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Originally Posted by Kees

Have you still got some BBW left after one hour of rubbing? Should have worn the stone out or your diamond hone itself is worn. A flat hone surface is important, scratches are no problem.

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I lapped it again more time and more carefully. I noticed this was actually caused by the sharp corners of my diamond plate. It's much better now.

Anyway, you say that scratches are no problem. You mean, they won't harm a razor's edge???

Thanks a lot

Typically the scratch is below the surface of the hone. As long as the edge isn't catching on it, it should be fine.

If you can feel it while honing, there's a problem.!! Lap it flat

If the scratches are coming from the diamond plate, then the plate needs to be "broken in" or worn from use. Lapping with wet/dry sandpaper on glass works well at removing such scratches and in lapping without introducing scratches until the lapping plate is broken in. I normally use a coarse DMT diamond plate for lapping, but it needs to be broken in to avoid scratching. But as has been said, if the scratching lies below the surface (not raising anything above), it's not an issue, just use it.