Thread: Desperate Honesterette

I'm not sure, but that can also be a leftover of me honing the blade
with slurry. It was chipped and needed quite some strokes.

I like to ensure that my edges look like "black ice" when I'm done honing them. That requires an off angle look. Another perspective on the same idea is that the bevel shines back, mirror like, when you twist it in light.

I guess what I'm suggesting is that the way the bevel looks off angle is more important than what it looks like straight on. If you can see a scratch from an off angle then it must be way deep . . .

after it is stropped there should be a gentle almost imperceptible shadow on the edge.

I really doubt that the lighting has anything to do with it. She took the pics of all the razors in question correct?

I didn't go through and read every post in detail I admit but it just jumps out at me how it looks like your (Olivia's) scratches just aren't disappearing as they should IMO. Do you spend enough time on each stone? I often see it described in honing that you need to be careful of overhoning, etc. but I think this tends to scare people away from getting the best edges they can. I spend a while on each stone... and then a little more time lol. It might be best to experiment with some different honing techniques and pressures to see what might change your results. It just looks to me like some of those scratches really shouldn't be there before moving to the next stone.

Alex please go back to page five and have a look at the last pic.
Thats both his work and mine under same light and camera conditions.

I'm actually always worried that I loose too much material.
Maybe I should just not be as much and hone longer.

Originally Posted by 0livia

Ok, here we go.
Same light same angle, same everything.

From what I can see, the stuff above the edge looks like scratch marks from a 220 or 120 stone that went beyond the bevel. I get scratch marks like that all the time if I use a dmt XX or even X.

As to the bevel polish, his looks more consistent. But really, all I can see are little dots reflecting light. Can't exactly tell anything. All I see is that his has no horizontal line, and Olivia, yours does. Does it mean anything? I have no idea.

Does his shave better? If his shaves better than I will admit that at least in this case, the better polished bevel = better shaver. but if they shave the same, or you can't tell, then either the polished bevel = better shaver, but we can't tell the difference anyway so its a moot point. OR, polished bevel doesn't mean anything.

Either case, my conclusion is that different stones/progressions give different polishes. Some give better edges too. And I think thats all I can conclusively say. I am still not convinced that a mirror polished bevel = awesome shave or not. And I'll probably never know. Unless someone wants to send me a bevel thats got scratch marks and I'll test shave it and see if its the same as my very polished ones.

That said, I do think there is something to having a more polished bevel. What exactly, I can't quite put my finger on it.

Not sure you did this but... it is best to "wash" the blade with soap and water and rinse before looking at the scratches or taking photos... use one of those compressed air cleaners to quickly dry the blade... don't wipe... just be careful not to ding the edge.

Olivia,

I've seen those lines on your second pic. on my TI. While I don't think it effects the functionality of the razor, it may have something to do with the direction of the grain of the steel itself.

You got it, its oily.

In the meantime I did two other blades, not oiled, LOL
Now I think I've got it.

I dunno Olivia,
I really can't see the difference as clearly as the original pictures you took. All I can see for certain is a nice, straight edge and some shiny steel.

Thank you Leighton, that was the desired result.

OK, more time on the higher grit hones!
Henckels 8000 behaved well (without anomalies) today, too, after I lapped it once more.

How (what equipment) did you take the pics of your edges?