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Have you guys noticed a difference in the ability of some brands of razors to take not only a better edge but it hones up faster than others. I'm just curious because I've found Bokers and Reynolds to take an edge faster and better than some others brands.
Sometimes its the grind, sometimes the steel, sometimes its the Mfr., sometimes its just a PITA!
That pretty much sums it up---LOL especially the PITA part. I had one of those and got rid of it!!!!
+1 for sure. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
Now were talking...
If we are only talking "Brand" differences yes I sure do agree there are differences.... I tend to break them down by countries first then sometimes by brand after that....
I know myself and probably several others on here would vote the Dubl Ducks as the easiest most consistent brand on the hones...
Boker rather easy and very silky when done...
Many of the German Hollow grinds fall right here together...
American steel a touch harder then the German but can get scary sharp
Swedish and Japanese very similar on the hones and well behaved
English brands???? It is hard to break these down because you have such variations in grinds and years that they were made...
Fillarmonicas and the Spanish steels a wee bit more finicky on the hones then the Germans but if you get them right can be sooooooo smooth...
wapis come to mind here
it should also be pointed out that some razors get sharper than others
the sort that respond to unpasted newsprint for example
mostly I've found these to be the German XX-Hollow types, but got a Japanese Hayashi that did the same (owowow! TOO SHARP !)
I have not found a correlation between ease/difficulty and maximum sharpness though
I couldn't agree more Glen. That was a good breakdown doing it by country. The German razors are by far the easiest for me to hone and have a very nice comfy edge. I love the British razors especially the big old wedges but they can be a BIG challenge to hone and most take a long time to hone with many more strokes than a German Boker for instance.
Hey while I'm at it have any of you guys bought one of the new Bokers?
I go with Kelly about PITA . I LIKE IT A LOT.
Sham that did sum it up well didn't it--LOL!
yes it did .
I hate to admit this publicly, but recently I had an old english wedge that had me backed into a corner, after considerable frustration I took it over to Shams house and let Sham do it! Thanks Sham!
There ya go. You remember Sham worked on one of mine at the meet for a couple of hours just to get a decent edge. It was a real PITA as you said!!! Sham bailed me out for sure. Of course he's a fine man to and has helped me out a lot:-)
Kelly it was work 2 head together that is why we did the job. Please Don't give to me all the credit. Trust me if i have problem with blade i will do the exactly same.Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
Phil that one was PITA Sorry i have to admit it.
Wedges are hard to hone. Here's why: you have to remove a lot of steel. Once you have part of the edge done you need to continue for quite a while to have a proper bevel along the entire edge. The part you got sharp first will become overhoned in the process. Just remove the wire edge and you're in business!
Removal of a wire edge is much easier than many think it is. Just a few strokes on the leather with the spine lifted 1/16" applying no pressure at all but the weight of the razor! I know this is controversial but it has worked every time I tried!
Sham that it was. In fact it was the worst I've ever seen! I appreciate you giving me credit as well but I couldn't have done it without you:-)
Kees how much if any do you use on a large wedge? Just curious for yet another opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl
A mentor if there ever was one! Hey mods, hint, hint.
I strongly agree Kelly!!!!!!
Kees i will tell a little easier way. I am not sure this has been said by someone before me or not but i find out this works always.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
take 400 grit sandpaper and bread knifing No pressure at all 2-3 times wire edge is gone. i usually do bend the sandpaper to make a circle this helps to touch exact point of the blade which one you want. hope this helps.
That destroys the edge! If you have an overhoned edge and strop it lightly on leather spine lifted 2-3 mm and then strop it as you always do your razor is shave-sharp! The way you propose necessitaties honing the edge again starting wit ha low grit hone.Quote:
Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl
How much of what?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner777
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
Im not wanting to fuel a debate and I havent tried this, but I think the key words were "no pressure". If subsequent honing is necessary it should be very little. Besides its just one mans opinion.
For the most part, other than Timors and Fromms, I say rack 'em up........
The biggest problem with the wedges is that normally when we get them, they have 6 different spines and 6 different bevels on them and usually these are not consistent on both sides. So...........it takes a lot of time to work through all the prior damage and get to a consistent bevel. Tape or with out tape, these are simply a lot more work. Once you get to a nice bevel, you are there. Now if you're worried about how they are going to look, you might as well find someone who will regrind them for you...........:)
Now having said this a lot of times honing any razor has to do with the prior wear it has seen.
Lynn
Agreed - Kees' and Sham's methods would remove the wire edge quite well without damaging the razor if as they recommended light pressure is used. Sham's method is similar to the old-time way of very lightly drawing the edge along a piece of soft wood, such as a match stick.Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
Cheers,
Jeff
Very true about prior damage. If it's a wedge or a hollow you have to repair the damage first but with a wedge it takes a lot longer since as has been said a lot more metal has to be removed. That and I think more people make errors on a wedge than a hollow.
Speaking for myself I like them so much it's worth the time and effort to get a good edge by taking sometimes hours to get them back to workable condition.
Kees I was talking about how much tape you use.
I can vouch for the PITA qualities of Fromms!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn
I just did a little reading on Timor razors in the SRP archives and it appears they have something in common with the new Fromms: they both seem to sharpen better with a higher angle than provided by their spines. In any event I've found that to be true of my particular Fromm razor. I wonder if that's true in general with those two brands? Perhaps they have the same manufacturer?
Jeff
i have done that method more then 2 years. at first yes please no pressure at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
Second you can go to back hones to 8k or higher ones (no lower ones please)or you can use simple dovo red paste or chro2 which will take a little more laps then red paste.
it has been worked always for me . Just try and check the edge under the microscope see what happens. gl
hope this helps
Agree 100% but needs to be noted- new ones not old ones. Old ones are good.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffR
Lynn one thing I never understood when I ran across an old wedge with as you said 6 spines. How in the world can that happen. I can't think of a way someone could do that???
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner777
Hes probably referring to a blade that has been hammered out and is serpentine, if you look down on the spine it will be wiggly. PITA!
Say... you wouldn't be referring to that Hunter razor I gave you, would you?:hmmm:
I never use tape: I do not think honewear on the spine devalues a razor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner777
No way Joe that turned out to be a really good shaver:-) This was one I saw at an estate auction and yea Kelly it looked wavy down the spine and I'm thinking now how in the world did that happen??????
Kees--I don't like hone wear so I use one strip usually. Hone wear sure hurts the value on the classifieds and in general with many of our members myself included. That's especially true if you use a DMT.
Gentlemen,
Would one of you care to update Why certain razors require more or less honing than others - Straight Razor Place Wiki with the new material from this thread, please?
Thank you,
Robin
BeBerlin---Good idea some great info has come out of this thread from some really knowledgeable people!
I tape wedges
I once took an unhoned W&B wedge and put a flat spot on it :cry:
I'm actually going to quote Lynn about ugly bevels "have someone regrind it" on one particular blade I'll sell soon because that sucker has a bevel like a nihonto hamon of the natare type.
I tape wedges always. It's easier to flatten a spine on a wedge than most people think. Then it looks pretty bad.
Well, sometimes you have to make a sacrifice.
Just sweating over a warped microtome, testing new hones.
That belly on the wedge side has to go.
Otherwise it will always be a problem to re hone.
+1 on that Olivia