Thread: Varying sharpness along the edge

Hello all. I am hope one of you can help me with this. I have gotten my straight very sharp from the heel up 2/3 the length of the blade, but it's still tugging at the toe end.
How can I focus on the toe end?

Many variables involved here. Assuming your razor and hone are in optimal condition (no razor warpage, hone damage, etc. Hone is reasonably flat and clean) a lot of practice is required to get an even and consistent honing stroke on both sides of the blade.

In that case, practice, practice, practice.

Check out the resources available in the archives.


Scott

Lap the stone and make sure your not lifting when honing. The tip should be getting lots of action on the x pattern. Are you using an x pattern?

Then, as Scott says, it may just be practice. It could also be a fundamental error in your stroke so study up on the proper angle and stroke.

Use an X-pattern and lift the heal up at the end of the stroke a little bit if necessary to get solid toe contact.

thanks for the feedback. I have a feeling it was my technique. And I have not been using an x-pattern consistently. I will go back to the basics. I'll let you know what happens.

If you're using a standard norton hone, then the heel comes off the hone first in the X pattern while the toe is in contact during the full stroke. That means the toe should be getting the most honing. As mentioned, it might be your technique, but it also might be that the blade is warped. I would do the marker test to confirm that both sides of the blade are contacting the hone. I have found lots of razors that are warped on the toe and a normal honing stroke will lead to a lot of removal on one side of the blade and none on the other side. This is where using a microscope can be handy, especially in setting the bevel.

The X pattern and a 45 degree angle can sometimes correct this too.

Good Luck,

Lynn

Originally Posted by Utopian

If you're using a standard norton hone, then the heel comes off the hone first in the X pattern while the toe is in contact during the full stroke. That means the toe should be getting the most honing.

I'm thinking ideally not. If any one part of the edge (for example the toe or point as mentioned above) is getting more honing than any other part of the edge, then wouldn't this actually lead to the kind of problem that the poster, dshave, is having?

Regardless of what type of hone is being used, it is up to the honer to alter the honing stroke so as to avoid unequal honing along the edge.
If using a wider type hone (as I imagine the Norton is) I'm thinking it would be better to shorten the stroke such that the point (or say the distal one half of the blade) travels no further than the heel (or proximal half of the blade).
On narrower hones (as is often the case with barber hones) the point usually begins off of the top edge of the hone, and, at the end of the stroke, the heel finishes below the bottom edge with the point somewhere at the middle. This way all sections of the edge end up traveling a fairly equal distance over the honing surface. Possibly why barber hones were designed that way?

Maybe it would help to put reference marks on both the hone and the razor while learning? This might help achieve equal travel during a stroke especially on wider hones.

On the other hand, there is a honing technique that has been discussed before involving extra honing at both the point and heel. This is for creating the so called smile. But that is a topic for another thread.


Scott

I like too observe the way the edge "pushes" the water on the hone. I you closely watch how it runs over the bevel, it's usually easy to spot the places where it runs underneath the bevel, due to slight warpage of the blade, and/or inconsistencies in your stroke.
With a very slight warp, I try dropping the angle a bit while I draw it over the edge of the hone, spotting for improved contact with the hone.

Originally Posted by honedright

I'm thinking ideally not.


Scott

I agree. If you use a standard X pattern, the nose remains on the stone during the entire stroke, while the heel leaves the stone almost immediately. That is why I do not use the three inch face of the hone. I do not believe that there should be uneven amounts of contact between the hone and the razor along the length of the razor.