Thread: Help with a Rodgers..

I am getting my butt kicked by a Jospeh Rodgers. I finished the resto on the blade and went to honing... nothing unusual.

The problem is I can't seem to get the bevel set without it crumbling and turning to a very bad wire edge. I set the bevel on a DMT diamond stone, then went to my Spyderco meduim and fine using a conservative pyramid.

I don't care what I do, the edge feels like (and looks like) a bread knife! Looking at the edge under a scope, all looks good as the bevel sets, then BOOM.... turns to crap. I went so far as to take the edge back down by honing at a steep angle (about 20 degrees) then went back to pyramids with no success.

Any suggestions on recovery? A few hundred passes on the fine/u-fine? This is not my razor or I'd consider a re-grind and start over.

This is really pissing me off....


Thanks,


Allen

Coincidentally, I am having a similar problem with one I am working on, it is also a Jos rogers,what is the deal with this blade? At least youre not alone my friend.

maybe its the steel, if its happening to more then one person, i doubt its you guys..wish i could help more, sorry

Sounds to me like you need to work up to the edge a little slower. I'd try finer stones and a more agressive pyramid scheme and drop the DMT out of the mix. I'd be a little more speific but I don't have the stones you do and I'm not to familiar with their grits. When I keep getting a wire edge thats what I do. take the wire edge to my 5 micron and 1 micron stones and pyramid untill I get it back to sharp.

My only Rodgers honed up to shave ready over a year ago and has only had a couple of touch ups on a barbers hone since, its my best shaver.

Good luck!

I would suspect that the steel does not like the DMT, I am serious.
I would go to the medium spyderco until the bevel is good then move up in grits. This will take a bit of time

Originally Posted by randydance062449

I would suspect that the steel does not like the DMT, I am serious.
I would go to the medium spyderco until the bevel is good then move up in grits. This will take a bit of time

I only used the DMT for the initial bevel, then on to the Spyderco medium to refine the edge. Using the meduim Spyderco, it still goes to trash. Looking at the bevel, it actually looks descent, nice and uniform all the way across the blade until it gets to the edge. The actual edge looks like a saw blade....

Based on where the edge is right now (serrated crap) I intend to take it to the meduim again with a steep angle (like 30 degrees) to knock the edge back down. After I will spend the DAY with the Spyderco fine and my Arkansas surgical to sneak up on the edge, then finish with the U-fine.

If that doesn't work, Lynn may get this damn thing!


v/r


Allen

On blades that exhibit that tendency, I have had good luck with one final pass of backhone as I come off each lower grit. It may not sound like it makes sense but give it a try.

Likely the problem is not in your honing but in the steel. I see this every once in awhile and it's very frustrating. There's no recovery from bad steel.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

I would suspect that the steel does not like the DMT, I am serious.
I would go to the medium spyderco until the bevel is good then move up in grits. This will take a bit of time

I gotta agree with Randy on this one Chief you might have sneak up on the edge like you said

Originally Posted by kelbro

On blades that exhibit that tendency, I have had good luck with one final pass of backhone as I come off each lower grit. It may not sound like it makes sense but give it a try.

Back honing does work especially on problem blades

Originally Posted by Howard

Likely the problem is not in your honing but in the steel. I see this every once in awhile and it's very frustrating. There's no recovery from bad steel.

Unfortunately Howard might be right, was the blade edge really rusty when you started????

Some blades are just going to be problems no matter what you do, I just brought back a Puma of ByronTodd's from the NC meet that was giving him fits, would only hold an edge for 3-4 shaves then fall apart. I am going on shave to with it now, for a week or so... Shave one after I honed it again, was one of the closest smoothest shaves I have ever had, so we will see what happens as it progresses..... But I would agree that before you throw in the towel, let somebody else take a look at the blade and give it go too...
Good Luck!!!

Actually, the blade was fairly clean to start with. I did a sand, buff and polish and it came up nicely. I was (as always) very aware of heat while using the Dremel; if it ever gets more than warm it gets dunked in cool water. This blade is just being a royal PITFA!

I blew the edge away this morning and I've been bringing it back up since. So far, so good but I have even avoided the Spyderco meduim for the most part.

I am fighting a double bevel now (as expected), but it is nearly smooth now. I will try a back hone, but I have been using the fine and the Arkansas black doing light circles then examining with the scope. It has taken most of the day (had a distraction when my scope light went out), but it is still smooth for the time being. The bevel is not yet fully set but I didn't expect it to be since I am using such fine grits. As mentioned, I am truly sneaking up on the edge..... hell at this rate I could have forged a new blade!

I will try to finish it up tonight and take it for a spin in the morning if the results are promising. If not, it will need the love of a true honemiester.....

Evan if you are reading this- I'm spending this much time on this one 'cause I like you and the blade polish and scales came out VERY nice!

v/r

Allen