Thread: Overhoning

I am wondering if anyone has actually overhoned a razor? I am relatively new to honing, less than 40 razors in about 8 months, and have yet to produce a wire edge. (Yes, rad had and still has the better of me) I have used a variety of hones on all different types of steel in all manner of shapes and am pretty meticulous about assessing an edge's progress. It just seems to me that overhoning doesn't just happen in a few laps, you have to put some effort into it. Does anyone's experience mirror mine?

If I have to do more than a few dozen passes, I backhone as well. I've never had a wire edge either

I guess I should have added that I typically do 20-50 laps per hone, depandent on how the edge progresses. The noteable exception is the Chinese 12K, which seems to take 50-75 laps.

Back in the beginning, the third razor I honed, I got the stereotypical overhoning: brittle edge that crumbles, horrible shave after a few passes, the whole nine yards.

I now know that I used way too much pressure, too many forward strokes, and way too high grit (Norton 8K) when restoring an old ebay junker. Life experience!!

Yes, and on every grit made.

I believe I have created a wire edge (I don't have a microscope so I don't know for sure). This was back in the days when I was trying to do maintenance touch-ups with my Lithide hone (for my tough beard, + 3-pass shaves, touch-up is required every 3rd or 4th shave). After a while I began getting an edge that felt superficially sharp, but would turn into a butter knife almost immediately. This is consistent with the symptoms of the dreaded wire edge, but like I say, I'm just guessing.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

I believe I have created a wire edge (I don't have a microscope so I don't know for sure). This was back in the days when I was trying to do maintenance touch-ups with my Lithide hone (for my tough beard, + 3-pass shaves, touch-up is required every 3rd or 4th shave). After a while I began getting an edge that felt superficially sharp, but would turn into a butter knife almost immediately. This is consistent with the symptoms of the dreaded wire edge, but like I say, I'm just guessing.

Did it feel like shaving with a chainsaw?

I haven't managed to do it yet. All the hones I use lately are DMT's and barber hones. I tried to do it on purpose once with both a Swaty and a DMT 1200, but gave up after 40 minutes or so. Maybe using light pressure had something to do with it. On the DMT I was straightening a smiling edge with somewhat more pressure than usual.

Wire edges and me know each other rather well!
But we do not see each other very often!

Honestly, the only times I've gotten a wire edge on a razor was with the norton 4/8.

I use the DMT's for lower grit work (up to 8k) and natural stones for polishing. Can't recall ever overhoning a blade on any of them.