Thread: Honing assistance please

I think i am missing something in here?
Are we talking about putting bevel on straight razor?
Who else is uses 325 grit to put bevel on straight razor please let me know.i would be really interested on that approach?
what will be next ?400,600,1000,finaly 4k/8k right? of course i am talking straight razor?

Why not start 1000 and move forward?
good luck

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

I think i am missing something in here?
Are we talking about putting bevel on straight razor?
Who else is uses 325 grit to put bevel on straight razor please let me know.i would be really interested on that approach?
what will be next ?400,600,1000,finaly 4k/8k right? of course i am talking straight razor?

Why not start 1000 and move forward?
good luck

I am.
Most of my razors come from Ebay. I like buying heavily rusted razors with little hone wear for about €5. Then I restore them. Usually those razors have serious corrosion pitting at the edge. Because of that I have to remove half or more of the bevel. Removing a heavy frown might demand a similar approach. I don't like to spend all day rebuilding a bevel, so I start off at a DMT 325, which is also my hone of choise do to serious and quick "breadknifing". Than I reestablish the bevel shape on the 325. Next I go to the DMT 600. I usually finish bevel formation on a Coticule with slurry, or on a DMT 1200.
Whenever 10 to 15 minutes of honing doesn't get the job done during the bevel creation stage, I normally jump a grit lower, unless I really think I'm nearly there, but I'm often mistaken about "being very close to completing a bevel".

You may now call me a "razor butcher"...

On a seviceable, yet dull razor I usually start at a Coticule with slurry, or a well-used DMT1200.


Bart.

I have re-read this thread a few times now, and I see this as being the biggest problem.

The bevel was re-established in the heel area first, working inward. I figured this would continue all the way across the blade, but eventually the bevel was re-established at the toe, working inward. The middle area (about 20% of the total blade length at this point) still reflected light and was not sharp. At this point I suspected that the uneven honing might be due to the stone being “dished” in the middle, and began a more “flattened” X pattern to expose the blade to a larger surface of the stone (I hope this makes sense). This seemed to make a difference, as I noticed the middle area getting smaller in length as well as reflecting less light. I was happy with the progress I was making.

You are working the ends against the middle so to speak, you never gave us any indication of the initial spine wear, so you might just be recreating the original problem here again... Besides the fact the working with an "Dished' stone creates it own set of problems, along with the fact these are fast cutters so each stroke emphasizes the un-even wear that much worse....Think of this like driving down an icy rutted road if you just keep following the same path the ruts just get deeper..You need to grade the road and start on a nice even surface.....

Using this stone and razor for practice is one thing, but the expectation should be a well worn spine and bevel... You would probably be better off going to wet-r-dry sandpaper on a level flat surface if you want to even the bevel up...Then you would have a better chance of bringing this one to a shave ready condition when you get your 4k/8k....

Bud- It is important to understand that I am not talking about honing a new or nearly new razor- this edge was very dull and needed to start from scratch so to speak. Bart explained the issue quite well, he and I are on the same page here and I hope his explanation was clearer than mine. Thank you Bart.

Quick/nun2sharp- The bevel is the same on both sides- on the left and right sides, as well as the heel and toe of the edge. I don't think there is warpage in the blade, if anything I would suspect my stone.

gssixgun- you reinforced what Bart said earlier about needing to remove the heel/toe areas before the middle can be re-beveled, and I think you guys are right on the money. I spent some more time on the hone last night, and did not see any measurable improvement. I have concluded that while I might be able to get there eventually, there is too much metal to make it worthwhile on the stone I have. This is excaserbated by the razor's grind- it is not a full hollow- more like 1/2 or 3/4, resulting in a far larger bevel and more spine contact. I am also concerned about the possibility that my stone is dished.

I will be buying the Norton combo with the 200/1000 and 4000/8000 stones, so I am going to quit and pick up where I left off when those get here. My old Norton will go back with my Gunsmithing tools.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Adam

The Norton 220/1000 will be almost worthless for razors. They are to slow. Use sandpaper instead. I use my Norton 1000 as a final lapping stone for my Norton 4000/8000 and that's about it for the 1000.

May I suggest using wet/dry sandpaper, used wet, 500 then 1000 grit, to re-establish that bevel? It cuts very fast, more abrasive grains per square inch. Just be sure to place it on a flat surface,... like a flat hone.

Randy,

The 220 norton is slow? That is a surprise. I still plan on buying the Norton set, but saw a post about this DMT clearance:

https://www.woodcraft.com/product.as...FamilyID=20916

and had to order that set.

I may give the sandpaper thing a try if I get tired of waiting, it can't hurt at thios pint, and if it is as fast as you say that would definitely be the way to go.

Thanks!

Adam

See I find the 220-1000 Norton to be my goto stone for bevel restorations, yes there are faster cutters, but I have never seemed to like them...