Originally Posted by
holli4pirating
-Bevel setting: Learning to set bevels is the most difficult part of honing. This is not because the process is inherently difficult; it is because every ebay/antique store/estate sale razor will be in a different state of “dullness,” and that is a significant variable. By comparison, all razors that have just had their bevels set are in a rather narrow range; all razors that just need a touchup are in a rather narrow range.
Setting bevels requires you to figure out how dull the razor is, determine if the razor has any “quirks” you’ll have to address, have the confidence to keep removing steel until you get the bevel set, recognize when the bevel is set and stop, and maintain even strokes to avoid putting uneven wear on the razor. That is a lot to think about! Fortunately, if you have already learned the sharpening/polishing and finishing/touchup stages above, you’ll be at an advantage. Those stages will have already taught you to maintain an even stroke and to recognize when a bevel is set; they will also help you build confidence in your honing abilities. All that will be left is to figure out how dull the razor is and what “quirks” you may have to address.
There are a few things you can do to make these last two areas easier. Try to learn on razors that don’t have any chips, razors that sit flat on hones, razors with minimal and even wear, razors with half to full hollow grinds, and, most importantly, inexpensive razors that you wouldn’t really mind ruining – just in case. But whatever you do, make sure you are using a quality razor – razors on the do not buy list may never actually take a bevel, so you’ll never know if you are doing the right thing or not.