Dulling a razor on a 4/8K

Made attempt number three at honing tonight. After doing an agressive pyramid on a Clauss I got on eBay, it still was barely cutting arm hairs, so I got out the paddle strop and went from the 1.0/.50 with 10 laps on each and I was able to cut arm hairs pretty easy.

As an experiment, I went back to the 8K side of the Norton and did 5 laps there. The razor was no longer able to cut arm hairs. 5 more passes on the .50 on the paddle and it was back. Is it possible that I am so bad at honing I actually dull the razor? It does seem that the razor scrapes more paste from the paddle strop after honing. Am I using too much pressure? I made sure I did not accidentally turn it on the blade.

I tried both x-pattens and just straight back and forth passes. I can definitely see metal coming off on the 8K side when I hone. Any advice for a wanna be honer?

I'm glad you asked about this. I'm deciding between the two methods myself.


Mitch

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Originally Posted by Brad

Made attempt number three at honing tonight. After doing an agressive pyramid on a Clauss I got on eBay, it still was barely cutting arm hairs, so I got out the paddle strop and went from the 1.0/.50 with 10 laps on each and I was able to cut arm hairs pretty easy.

As an experiment, I went back to the 8K side of the Norton and did 5 laps there. The razor was no longer able to cut arm hairs. 5 more passes on the .50 on the paddle and it was back. Is it possible that I am so bad at honing I actually dull the razor? It does seem that the razor scrapes more paste from the paddle strop after honing. Am I using too much pressure? I made sure I did not accidentally turn it on the blade.

I tried both x-pattens and just straight back and forth passes. I can definitely see metal coming off on the 8K side when I hone. Any advice for a wanna be honer?

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For what it's worth:

If I have a dull razor, I've found that I'll have to do at least 2 aggressive pyramids, before even thinking of the conservative pyramid. Maybe you should go back to the aggressive pyramid for a while, and use the x-pattern, it works. The 8K side of the Norton will be coarser than the 1.0 paste you got, so it will dull your edge.

My 0.02

I often get a better shaving edge on 8K. But it wouldn't be unusual at all to get a sharper edge from .5 paste. Since you have that option now I wouldn't worry about it (unless you don't like the shave which is the more important criteria).

In the mean time keep working on your 8K you should have little difficulty getting there.

I usually find its all about a light perfect stroke, repeated.

If I use too much pressure would that dull the edge, or even roll it slightly? I swear it got worse after I switched back to the hone. Either way it wouldn't shave a hair this morning.

Yea, it can get duller off the hone. And yes, pressure is bad. Very, very, bad. Atleast at that stage.

Thought maybe that was it. I was worried that I was letting the front edge life, so I gave it a slight can't toward teh front. Not really pressure, but may have done it.

How do you hold the razor to hone?

Gently hold the shank between index finger and thumb. Hold each side so you can't apply pressure. Roll the pinky under the scales to hold them up. With a fulcrum set with your thumb/finger, the pinky holds the blade in place on the stone.

The only way the razor can lift off the stone requires the scales to drop, thus honing is done mostly with your pinky. :)

Another helpful thread. I'm having this problem, too. I'm going to try that grip tonight and see if I can improve my technique.:tu

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Gently hold the shank between index finger and thumb. Hold each side so you can't apply pressure. Roll the pinky under the scales to hold them up. With a fulcrum set with your thumb/finger, the pinky holds the blade in place on the stone.

The only way the razor can lift off the stone requires the scales to drop, thus honing is done mostly with your pinky. :)

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I do that, but drop the ring finger down to touch the desk - that way, as I get out to the end of the x-stroke, I don't inadvertently drop my hand and let the toe lift / drag the edge on the bevel of the hone.