Thread: Setting the bevel (just venting)

Originally Posted by JimR

Thanks Glen, I started off without the tape, but I added three layers when I rechecked the wiki and realised I'd missed it. I used the tape on my Diamond 400 and took them off on the 1k, but I might have made a double bevel by doing that...read on.

I established a bevel to the point where it would wipe hairs off my arm wet, so I decided to eventally go up the progression--BBW/Cot then finished off on my Shapton 12k pro and then CrOx. Now, here's the problem...There's still a clear step between the very cutting edge and a little further up the "shoulder" of the bevel. What I mean is, under magnification there's a very smooth, shiny area and then, just at the cutting edge, it has a rougher look to it. I'm still going to shave test it tomorrow, but I'm afraid I might have screwed it up...

Yeah, setting the bevel with tape and removing it would give the results you describe. A double bevel of sorts, but it's the wrong kind. You have a reverse double bevel. Unless you spent a ton of time on the 1k, you basically have a situation where the very edge is rough because it's only finished with the 400, but up the bevel a bit, where it was hit after you took the tape off, is polished up nicely. Basically, you aren't sharpening and polishing the very edge.

When taping, you don't want to start with tape and finish without. If using tape, and you want to remove it, you need to do it in reverse of what you did.. start without (or with some) and add more. This gives the true double bevel.

Originally Posted by Utopian

DA's are okay. Not great, not bad, but a solid okay.

I wouldn't rely too heavily on your arm hair test at this stage. Given that the bevel setting takes all the time, how about you go ahead with the rest of your progression or pyramids and then do a test shave. If it shaves okay, you're done. If not, then you can go back to the 400 or 1k for another round of metal removal. It's worth a shot!

LISTEN to Utopian, He honed a DA for me and it's one of the best shavers I now have.

This is the thread that we were referring to

http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...ged-blade.html

For those that are giving honing advice here, keep in mind that this step must be completed first, before the advice on honing has any relevance...
Bread-knifing is a restoration technique, and doesn't transform into straight honing until the rough bevel is complete...
Therefore what seems backward use of taping, actually is not...

Thanks guys. I tried the DA out and, as expected, the shave was no good. Dull as ditchwater.

So I think I need to take it back down to the 1k and get the bevel where it ought to be. One thing that is encouraging...the polished part of the bevel looks really really smooth under magnification, so I was doing something right. Except, you know....honing my razor. That part I screwed up.

Here's the thing, though...I don't think I want a taped spine. That double bevel would make my barber hones useless, right? So I don't want to go through the whole progression with 3 layers of tape...can I drop back down to the 1k and take off the "shoulders" of the double bevel to the point where it meets the true bevel? Does that even make sense?

Glenn, could you please explain in more detail how taping the spine at the bevel setting stage DOESN'T result in a double bevel? I think I understand, but I'm not sure....when you say to make a "true bevel" on the 1k, is that where you eliminate the double bevel effect that I ended up with?

Jim you can back that bevel down as you go if you want all the way to bare spine

The reason you start with the 3 layers is to start cutting the bevel evenly, it basically works the same way as the factory does it....

You can actually stage it down 1 layer at a time if you want

To eliminate 1 layer of tape's bevel cut takes 20-30 laps on a Norton 1k as a rule of thumb...

I want to thank you guys for your advice and encouragement. I finally got this one shaving...I used Bart's one coticule method, and threw in Shapton 12k for good measure. Getting some very nice shaves...and they're all the better for the frustration it took to get there.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by sebell

I use the PPT at this point. If there isn't a good
description of the palm-pad test around at this
point, I ought to do one with pictures.

- Scott

go for it

Originally Posted by JimR

Getting some very nice shaves

Congrats Jim!

I bought a DA. I hate to say it, but "what a bargain" well, the blade is. The scales were put on by the only guy in the sweat shop with a serious hand eye co-ordination problem.
When I got it it was as sharp as a good knife. I ran it up and down a DMT 1200 with a stroke that put a neat narrow bevel along the whole edge, rolling, angled,.. whatever!!.
I didn't need to do much honing gymnastics as the blade was pretty straight TBH.
So far, so good. I then did enough laps on a BBW with slurry to get rid of the 1200 scratch marks. Then onto Coticule with water till it felt TPT sharp. I rarely get a razor to make arm hair "leap" off just the coticule.
I then made the bevel and spine wear look like a mirror on Cro2.
Now arm hair jumps up on the aproach of the razor
Maybe I was lucky, It was an easy razor to hone, at least mine was.