Honing a Wapienica...

I'm feeling real embarassed and frustrated right about now! I got this Wapi I bought off this guy. On the Tang it is stamped what looks like "sin" on it. I'm trying to get it shave ready but it's giving me fits. On one side the heel is taking an edge and on the other side the center of the blade is taking an edge. I've checked it out on a level straight edge and it doesn't appear to have any warp to the blade at all and there is no hone wear at all on the spine. I just can't figure this blade out! Does anyone out there have any pointers that can help me? I've never tried honing a Wapi before and I would really like to be able to use this razor. I'm about ready to just give up and put it on the collection to just look at, but where is the fun in that! I've enclosed a picture of the razor. Thanks for any help! God Bless!

may I ask what kind of strokes you're using and which hone(s)?

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Originally Posted by joshDHM

may I ask what kind of strokes you're using and which hone(s)?

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I was going to ask the same. It sounds like you might need to set a new bevel on something around 1000grit. If you're VERY careful, you can hone on 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper backed on glass or another flat surface. Others will disagree, but I've had good results honing forwards. Just be sure the sandpaper is properly stuck to the glass before doing that and be sparing in your strokes as sandpaper will cut very fast. I've had good results from that followed by a Norton 4/8k to get to shave sharp.

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Originally Posted by joshDHM

may I ask what kind of strokes you're using and which hone(s)?

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I've tried rolling X, Toe leading, heel leading and just plain straight back and forth. I'm using Norton 220/1K and 4k/8k water hones. I also had 1 strip of electrical tape on the spine.:shrug::shrug::shrug:

Have you put black marker along the edge (bevel)? if you do it will reveal where the edge is not touching the hone this is acommon problem and just takes a differant angle or slight roll. Are your hones flat? try 45 degree x stroke and when you do the x pattern finish right at the edge of your hone so basicly the toe finishes at the very bottom corner watch the ripple of water and check the marker on bevel. if you have to roll imagine you have only got an inch wide hone start on heal and finish on toe slightly raised if need be keeping your spine in contact with your hone the whole stroke.

Examples of letters to/from my website:

Sir:
I have a Wapi razor and was wondering how much it would cost to have this razor honed to shave ready???
It was honed before but I can't seem to get it sharp again...


Signed
Many People





Dear Many People:

I am sorry but I stopped honing Wapi razors about 2 years ago they are just way to inconsistent, one is a great shaver, and the next one, the edge starts crumbling away for no apparent reason... Many times the spine is so warped that it requires way to much work, and way to much of a loss of steel, to make it worthwhile on a $20 razor...

Good Luck though...

g


LOL have fun with that one :D

I've honed 3 recently. The first honed up real fast and nice. The second was about the same, and the 3rd took a good bit more work.

Had kinda the same problem it sounds (I only had one little area that wouldn't hone up right tho.) Like someone above said (sorry it's early for me :p) try going back to make sure the bevel is good. To me the Wapi razors feel "harder" and take longer (again, just my impression) to get a good bevel on, than other razors I've honed.

If your hone is not real wide, You could do Rolling-X strokes and make sure the trouble areas get more time against the hone.

If all else fails, I'd be glad to try to get it honed up for ya. Just PM if you want.

I think there is a differences between new and old wapi's.
New ones i have honed recently and owner was happy.may be it was good one i don't know.