Thread: -Faulty Fillie-Keep at it or give it up?

I have a fillie #13 Inox. I got it in a lot and it wasn't at Fillie prices, so I thought I got lucky. I was wrong.

The blade had a small chip in it, near the center. No big deal, small chips can be honed out. Then I noticed that for a length of about 1/4 inche cenetered around the chip, the edge was kind of jagged and broken...kind of like a meteor crater: Hole in the middle, rubble around the outside.

So anyway, I taped the spine and hit the 400 diamond plate. Before too long, the chip was gone...but the jagged, broken part wasnt.

Weird, right? So I gave it a few more passes, and the bevel was STILL broken there. I checked under magnification, and it was completely borked at that spot.

Back to the hones...and it just continued. I ran into Lynn in chat, got some honing advice, and tried it. I got the edge th where it wasn't too bad, thinking I had beat it, when I checked under the scope again--this time, I held the razor at a lot of different angles...and there it was. Around that spot with the crumbling edge, the steel was all speckled and sparkly--like it was breaking off roughly instead of wearing smoothly on the hone. Behond that spot, on the surface of the blade, it's all scratched form the steel bits coming loose and going crazy in the water.

A defective blade.
So I figured, I have two choices--pitch it, or hone past it. I chose hone past it. So all day, I7ve been honing at that razor. The spot has gotten smaller--it's down to about 1/8 an inch now, but it's still there. It's weak enough that when I press the bevel with my thumbnail, the steel just pops out like a cookie cutter. I've taken at least 1/8 off the blade so far...

So should I keep at it? Is it worth it? Do you think I'll get past it?

If it's a case of chuck it, or drastic honing, i'd hone. Don't get frustrated. You got it for a good price so you've got little to lose but time. Get it done!

I would look at it as a challenge, and hone. It will feel extra good when you get to shave with it

Good luck.

I realize that having a beer and eating some chips sounds good right now, after having been at it all day long, and you will most likely be at this stage but:
Never surrender!! You'll get past it eventually and will have a very unique (read: slim) Fillie and one with which you have a strong bond!
Keep us posted. Once you are done with it, i'll toast to it down here on my little island..

Keep honing. What do you have to loose? You can't use it as it is and your not going to sell it as it is.

I've had some that would get chipped a bit by the diamond plate and that being a 1200. Are you still on the 400 ? Maybe switching to a gentler abrasive ? When I run into chipping with the DMT 1200 I would go to the Shapton 1k pro and that would solve the problem. Dunno in this situation.

I say cut it down to make a coochie razor, sell it, and put the money towards another razor.

Thanks guys...yeah, I guess there's no real choice.

Jimmy, I remembered you posting something about that before so I tried it on both the Diamond and my Naniwa 1K--there's no doubt, the blade is defective at that one point. Maybe bad tempering?

But I'm feeling encouraged, after a few more breadknifes/bevels, I'm seeing the spot shrinking...I think there should still be something left of the blade when I'm done!

Jim what about trying to return it? If that's not an option I'd sure keep going until I beat that challenge!!!
I would think since it's defective whoever you got it from should replace it if you got it retail of course.

I say hone it Jim! You will get it I am sure.