Thread: Honing question

To toss another monkey wrench into this discussion:

A wire edge is not altogether a bad thing when at the bevel setting level. If you achieve a wire edge or over honed razor at this step it guarantees one thing; that your two bevels are meeting in the middle, otherwise a wire edge could not form. Since "Setting The Bevel" is just honing the sides of the razor to a point where the two bevels meet this is OK. Any wire created at this step will be removed as we sharpen the razor on the next finer grit. It's once we get the razor sharp on the 4000 or in the pyramid that we might want to worry about over honing. Even them if it happens it isn't exactly the end of the world. A few strokes on the hone and the wire is removed, then you step back a couple of laps and resharpen stopping before the wire edge and move up.

Another thing to note is that when sharpening other objects, like chisels or plane irons, it is common to hone until you get a wire edge deliberately, then flip the blade back hone off the edge, then move to the next grit. This is a fast and nearly foolproof way to get a working edge on some very very sharp tools. This method has also been used by some with success on razors, it is just wasteful of material and therefore not recommended.

I have no idea where the backhoning stuff came from, but if your razor shaves without pulling but is not yet comfortable you more than likely have a decent bevel and a fairly sharp blade. You just need some more work on your choice of finisher, be that 8K, coticle, or barber hone. If the razor is pulling usually you want to go back to the 4K or pyramid again. If it isn't cuttigng hardly at all thats the only time going all the way to re-setting the bevel is needed.