Thread: Over honing

There have been many threads on how to progress from 1k to 4k to 8k and so on. How to test each phase for indications as to when to move to the next stone. TNT, TPT, HHT, etc. But the one issue I haven't been able to find much information on is what about overhoning? I don't think I have ever overhoned a razor, but when I think about it, other than Lynn's reference in his CD about if you stroke the razor down your face and the hair doesn't seem to be removed, then you have overhoned the razor, is the only indication I know of. So my question is - How can one tell if the razor is overhoned, not only when you are finished but at each stone-step of the way? And, what is the procedure to fix this problem?

Ray

Good question i don't no if i have over honed the only thing i resemble to over doing is my razor has been sharp but felt harsh could that be a sign glides over stubble that to me could mean not sharp enough or as you say over honed i'm not sure neither if it don't feel right i just go back and rehone untill i get a good shave. I spoke to a honemeister about this and i asked him how undo over honing and his answer was just go back and rehone.tpt for me has to feel sticky but nice smooth stickiness if it feels sticky but a little gritty i carry on to get rid of gritty feeling.

Overhoning - Straight Razor Place Wiki

very good question.
This is how you can find out Blade is overhoned.(per
sonal experience)
if your blade shaves half of your face super and for next half it starts to pull you are most likely using overhoned blade.
while you hone you can find buy checking the edge with loop(microscope) and you will see bended edge. similar to wired edge.
lastly if you are overhoned whole length of the blade after shave you can see small chips at the edge.(loop-microscope)
You can feel wired edge with your nail but i don't think you can do same test for overhoning. At least you use blade it is hard to say blade is overhoned or not.without using microscope etc.
hope this helps.

Most likely people who gets overhone blade.
1 Perfectionist
2 People who likes to have the perfect edge.
3.New starters which has never seen proper honed blade.
gl

i have to add some stones are more prone to overhone too. example norton 8k but i have seen case Chinese 12k overhoned blade.

An overhoned edge occurs when the thickness is so thin that the edge will bend when it encounters a whisker. Sometimes it will bend away from the face and skip over the whisker, at other times it will bend into the face and feel very rough.
The result is that you will receive a very incomfortable shave.

I use a 30X handheld microscope to examine the edge of my razors when honing. An overhoned edge will appear as a different color right along the edge and usually only in spots. Sometimes it appears as a gold/rust/brown color and if you flip the razor over on the other side and look at it with a scope you will see a different color at the same location on the edge.

When the edge is even more overhoned it will literally start to fall apart in in spots. It will appear as small microchips along the edge.

To fix this you can follow the least aggressive method first approach. First try running the edge thru some soft wood like a wooden matchstick, piece of balsa wood or cork. This may break off the weak spot. Then you can resume honing , carefully, on a 8K, 6K or 4K hone to even out the edge.
Some people just jump back to a 6K or 4K and use a few backhoning laps to remove the edge that is to thin.

There was another thread and video of a SRP member using a every day pin to check for an edge that was curled over . Perhaps someone can find that video?



Hope this helps,

On a related subject, what have the really experienced Naniwa users found the 8 & 12k stones to do here? Are they susceptible to overhoning or not really? I ask because I think I succeeded in doing this to a few razors last week. I could feel it on a TPT (after shaving) & the shaves were nasty.

I backhoned them on the 5K & took them back up & they were fine. The Wapi shaved great.