Thread: How???? Can you sharpen a curved blade on a flat stone?

I have in my proud possession, a T-I straight from the box (excuse the pun!). And I am pretty sure that mine, like many others, has a slight curvature to the edge of the blade (i.e. it is not perfectly straight like a DE). I cannot figure out how this can be honed on a flat surface, and reach the entire length of the blade. Any curved blade on a flat stone will surely rest on the spine and in the center of the slight curve? Help!!! I don't want to head down the honing path without knowing how to overcome this. From some of the literature, most descriptions show the razor being moved across AND down the stone, which could possibly get to the point of the blade, but how could this work nearer the heal?
I would really appreciate any help from someone with experience of this. Surely I cannot be the first person to think of it as an issue???
So many questions....

I can't help you with your question but others will be along soon.

I just wanted to greet a fellow kiwi.

do a search on x-pattern and one on rolling the razor on the hone. these should help you out.

put the razor on the stone and hold the razor so that the heel makes contact.
when you move the razor across the stone, gently tip the heel upwards so that the point of contact moves from the heel to the toe.
This way every poin on the surfce gets in contact with the stone.

You can combine this with am X pattern stroke.
Have a look at randy's avatar and you will immediately understand what that means:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/member.php?u=640

Thanks Guys, appreciate your input.
Bruno, I guess everything seems easy with hindsight!!
I'm not averse to a challenge so will give the heal to toe / x-pattern combo a go.
Funny that without even trying I am prepared to see strop paste as cheating. I guess anything can change in a couple of shaves time. Wish me luck, straight-shave #1 is tomorrow.
OLD_SCHOOL, nice to know I am not the only one in NZ!!! Trying to find the necessary kit, I assumed I was.

Originally Posted by Bruno

put the razor on the stone and hold the razor so that the heel makes contact.
when you move the razor across the stone, gently tip the heel upwards so that the point of contact moves from the heel to the toe.

That's the Rolling Hone method and it works great for me, especially on my sway back W&B.

X

Originally Posted by Gluegun

OLD_SCHOOL, nice to know I am not the only one in NZ!!! Trying to find the necessary kit, I assumed I was.

I am living abroad at the moment, so..... but I would imagine you are not having an easy time coming up with kit over there. I do remember one time going to an antique store wanting to get a straight and the bloke wanted to charge $50 for some rusty twisted piece of well actually I think there was no longer any metal but rather just a lump of rust.

You've gotten excellent advice already. Basically what I do is combine the X-stroke with the rolling stroke. At the start of the stroke I tip the razor so that the heel is on the hone and the toe is in the air (just barely--maybe 1mm or so off the surface of the hone). Both the heel and spine are in contact with the stone.

Then I do an X-stroke, and toward the end I raise the tang of the razor a bit so that the toe makes full contact.

With this approach you're only using the outer 1/2" or so of the hone. I find it's a little more effective on slower cutting hones, because you can do more damage on a faster hone if everything isn't perfect.

It's important to remember in honing that the goal is to treat both sides equally. I do whatever funky gyrations are required to ensure that both sides of the razor are touching the stone during the stroke.

Good luck,
Josh