Thread: Taping a wedge - help needed!

Ok, so here's the situation:

I have a very nice NEAR wedge W&B that I am restoring and am having a problem setting the bevel properly.

I have read the Wiki, tried to find a solution in threads, and watched all the videos I could find, but have not had much luck finding the answer.

When taping this very near wedge to set the bevel and hone, just how many strips of electrical tape do you all use? If it varies, how do you go about determining how many you need?

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Another problem I'm having (may partly be because of the tape issue but I'm not sure) is that in my previous attempt to set a nice bevel, I keep getting a spot near the toe that I can't get to pass the TNT. BTW, I have the Norton 220/1000, Norton 4000/8000, and C12k stones.

I don't want to move up from the 220 until I can get the whole edge to pass the TNT, but I have kinda exhausted the information I can get my hands on at the moment. While inspecting the cutting edge under a bright light, the trouble area can be identified with a slight reflection, which from my reading, would suggest a flat edge there, but i can't seem to get down to it on the 220 hone. I will post some pictures tomorrow of the blade so I can mark the "trouble" area for you all to see.

The hones are lapped flat, and the tape I was using on the spine was refreshed frequently so the effects of the tape wearing were minimal.

Thanks in advance for your help, I know this post got kinda long, and I'm sorry for that

Also, please don't recommend sending it to someone to set the bevel, I will if I absolutely have to, but I am determined to hone my razors myself, and could use some guidance

Some pics may be useful but sounds like the spine may be warped or its a smiling blade & not getting full contact on the hone.
You may need to adjust your stroke by slightly rocking the blade.
OR it may simply take some more time to get a bevel especially if the edge has been somewhat rounded thru sanding or breadknifed.

When you are using tape, the number of layers is up to you. Normally I only use one, because that keeps the edge angle as close as possible to "normal." If a blade is taking a really really long time and the bevel is still not forming, I might use a second layer (this is very rare).

Older blades tend to have smiles, and they also often have more wear at the toe than the heal. If you cannot get the blade to pass TNT at the toe, try a rolling stroke. Start with just the heal on the hone, and as you move the blade towards the other end of the hone, lift the scales/lower the toe so that by the end of the stroke only the toe of the blade is on the hone. Or perhaps you can use your stroke as is and only lift the scales at the end to get the toe on the hone.

Another option is to add more tape to the toe end of the spine as needed in order to allow you to use a "flat" stroke and still get the toe to touch the hone. It won't really be a flat stroke... the tape will do the rolling for you.

Have you tried the magic marker test and modifying your stroke to make contact with the toe?

There's a description here:

Honing - Alternative approaches - Straight Razor Place Wiki

This may be of use as well:

Bevel-setting in theory and practice - Straight Razor Place Wiki

You will need to use a rolling X stroke to establish the bevel across the entire edge (and do the same for sharpening and finishing the edge). The problem at this point is that if you just start using the rolling X, you will continue to remove steel where you already have the bevel established and may wind up with a slightly uneven bevel. Not a big deal, but what I've done in this type of situation, is to just run the toe of the blade up and down the hone to establish the bevel on just the toe. Keep watching it and try to get it to look the same as the bevel that you have on the rest of the blade. Once that's done, then do a few rolling X strokes to even out the bevel across the entire blade. Hope that helps.

+1 on what everyone said but the first thing is as keenedge suggested the marker to see what stroke you need to make full contact with the hone. However many layers of tape you use and the stroke that you eventually find to be what works should be written down for future reference. Otherwise when the time comes to touch up you may not recall what the procedure you used was.

As most of you mentioned, yes the blade has a smile. I was also using a rolling stroke because of that. I spent quite a while last night trying to get the one trouble spot, but decided to put it away and that's when I started this thread.

*EDIT* yes, I have been using the marker test as well, and my strokes were wiping the edge clean, and I would repeat it often to make sure my stroke wasn't changing too much.

Maybe the surrounding areas on the blade are "higher" than that one spot, and might require more steel to be taken off around there before that spot will hone out right.

I found the other threads about honing wedges, and also read about the benefits of using smaller (width) hones to get the whole edge. I took one of my other old blades and ran it a few times across an old 6x1.5 arkansas stone I have (and old knife sharpening hone of mine ) and after the initial "shock" of using a smaller stone, it felt more "natural."

So, as soon as I find a nice one, I think I'm going to pick up a natural combination (cot/bbw) stone in a smaller width to replace my Norton 4k/8k.

Right now, I'm trying to find options for replacing the 220/1k with natural stones, so if any of you have suggestions, please feel free to let me know. I'm looking forward to getting away from synthetics. In my gut, natural is the way to go

Please let me know what you all think about using a smaller hone, and the possibility of having to remove more steel. Once the gf leaves for work, I'll try to get a couple pics of the blade put up here as well.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

However many layers of tape you use and the stroke that you eventually find to be what works should be written down for future reference. Otherwise when the time comes to touch up you may not recall what the procedure you used was.

hehe, that was the exact thought I had Jimmy! I can be meticulous about knife sharpening, and I can tell this will be the same way. I already have a folder on my PC with original pics of all the razors I have so far, as well as details about each (Maker, any etchings, size, ground, cost(shipping included))

*sigh* This is why I should never get into new things...my addictive personality really kicks in hardcore

If the marker test is being performed properly (that is, along the entire edge from toe to heel, only allowing two or three strokes to take off the marker) and successfully on both sides of the razor, then just keep at it and you'll get there

I honed a W&B full wedge with a chip in the toe over a few days. I lost count of the number of laps, a lot, but I would run through a few tape changes and give it a rest until the next day. Cut way down on my frustration and kept me from getting sloppy towards the end of a marathon session.