Thread: How to fix a rolled edge

Hi,

I purchased a Dovo from Straight Razor designs. I also purchased a strop. Unfortunately, after 3 days of using and stropping I realized I have been stropping incorrectly. Which is to say, i would roll the edge each lap instead of the spine.

I shaves OK. No cuts or nicks or burn but I can't help but think I've dulled the razor. I just ordered a Norton 8K/4K combo.

This is all I own. No other razors.

The question is this, given what I own, what is my best bet in ensuring this razor is sharp enough ? Just continue to strop correctly, put it to the hone, or have it sent in to be handled by a pro ?

Thanks

J

Thats not as bad as you think, unless you were using a lot of pressure...
try just stropping correctly first and if that doesn't bring it back one Conservative cycle of a pyramid should on the 4/8 Norton... Now if it still doesn't shave right after that send it out....


Check the Wiki here


Norton Pyramid Honing Guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Excellent. Thanks for the reply. It shaves fairly well. No tugging. So I think I might be OK. Ideally if I had another razor, I could compare.. Hmmmm. ;-)

J

Any excuse to buy a new razor is a good thing

If you are comfortable with the shave avter proper stropping no need to go to the hone. If you are comfortable with the shave after using the pyramid as gssixgun suggests, no need to go to the pro. If all does not perform to your satisfaction send it to a pro. I would also suggest getting a second to have professionaly honed so you have a honing standard to measure to and if you are having problems with the blade you hone you can limit it to you tecnique with the pro honed edge.

Okay guys, I'll level with you, I do not own any hones right now. I'm actually searching through old threads regarding finishing stones so I will not be the 1000th person asking, "which hone should I get....." . That being said as a newb the possibility of rolling an edge is very real to me, and I need to be prepared. So, would it be possible to fix a rolled edge with a fiinishing hone and a good stropping only?

BTW - I'm strongly leaning towards the fabled Yellow Coticule, which seems to be very versatile. In regards to this particular hone could you fix the said rolled edge with slurry, with water or both?

Originally Posted by shampoo

Excellent. Thanks for the reply. It shaves fairly well. No tugging. So I think I might be OK. Ideally if I had another razor, I could compare.. Hmmmm. ;-)

J

I highly recommend getting a razor honed by a honemiester. It really does help to have a benchmark. I just thought I knew what a shave ready razor was until I got one. You might very well be able to get there by yourself but having the benchmark does give something to compare to and it is nice to have a backup if you especially if you ever damage the one you have.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Okay guys, I'll level with you, I do not own any hones right now. I'm actually searching through old threads regarding finishing stones so I will not be the 1000th person asking, "which hone should I get....." . That being said as a newb the possibility of rolling an edge is very real to me, and I need to be prepared. So, would it be possible to fix a rolled edge with a fiinishing hone and a good stropping only?

BTW - I'm strongly leaning towards the fabled Yellow Coticule, which seems to be very versatile. In regards to this particular hone could you fix the said rolled edge with slurry, with water or both?

As you probably gathered from reading those threads there are members who favor the coticule, the Norton 4/8, and the Shapton glass stones. All of them will get you there some are more expensive then others.

I ended up with HAD so I have a mess of hones. Recommending a starter set if you want to keep the cost down then I would say a DMT D8C for lapping and restoring bad edges, a Norton 4/8 and a Chinese 12K for finishing. If money is no object then the Shapton glass seems to be the cat's whiskers to those that have them. Coticules are great too.

Like Jimmy already said there are many paths to a sharp razor, myself I favor the Shapton route BUT....
if I were only keeping my own razors sharp, and they were shave ready to begin with, and I had to chose one hone (oh what a terrible world it would be ) that one hone would be the Yellow coticule.....Just because of its versatility.......

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Like Jimmy already said there are many paths to a sharp razor, myself I favor the Shapton route BUT....
if I were only keeping my own razors sharp, and they were shave ready to begin with, and I had to chose one hone (oh what a terrible world it would be ) that one hone would be the Yellow coticule.....Just because of its versatility.......

Thanks Glen, for pushing me towards that coticule !! I dont' really have any plans for restoration projects, so the coticule should be good for a go-to touchup hone. So if I do roll an edge soon (NNOOOO!) how would I hone it back to perfection with this stone?

PS- Wait for my thread in the newbs section soon, the requesite "my new razor is dull and pulling" post!