Thread: Honing and Scratch Lines

Ok-Just got the best shave of my life, far better than with any other tool ever created. Shaved this morning with so-so results then reworked the blade:

I took the razor (stropped to "perfection" on .5 paste) and honed it some more on a carborundum hone. Ultra light touch. I think it is a fine/med grit hone. I made certain I kept the blade perpendicular, not angled, but maintained the X pattern. I then did ultra light stropping. Wow.

I'm wondering if I really made the blade sharper or whether in fact I "added" scratch lines and it scythed the hairs off.

I've read somewhere that the angled honing is used to enhance the tip forward motion you should use on the blade. Thats a motion I don't use. I always move straight down. So perpendicular might be a better honing motion for me.

So are the scratch lines essential and blades can be too smooth? And does the strop act as a beveling device on the tip of the blade so the whiskers can be sheared?

Thoughts?

Cutting grooves aside, I find the motion you describe as the best for control of the blade throughout the honing stroke, so you might want to stick with it anyhow.

I think that with any cutting edge those scratch lines act like teeth to help in the cutting process. If you had an edge that was 100% polished with no features at all I'd guess it wouldn't cut worth a damn. As far as the angle of the scratch lines I don't know that it really affects shaving. I hone mostly straight up and down the hone with the last 10 or so strokes in the x pattern so most of the scratch lines are perpendicular with a few diagonal.

As long as you use the X pattern you will have the proper angles on the scratch patern. It is not necessary to use both an angled blade and the X pattern. Just be consistent in your use.

It is only when you are not using the X pattern and instead using a straight across the hone, left to right, that you need to angle the razor.

Going from a 0.5 micron pasted strop back to a coarser hone is a bit unusual.
It suggests that your initial bevel/fin was shortened or removed by excessive honing or that you had a wire edge.
Please remember that the most common mistake is overhoning. Not all overhoning results in a wire edge. Sometimes it results on a duller edge because the fin is shortened or worn down to nothing.

Go back, use the medium side of the hone and re-establish the edge. Then use as few laps as possible on the fine side to get to the point where it passes the Hanging hair test or whatever test you are using. Then move on to the 0.5 micron pasted strop for 30 laps. Clean the razor, strop and test shave.


Hope this helps,

Thanx Randy and Guys, its very exciting having a blade that shaves this nice. Now to attack the others. I often use the angle and the X pattern together, nice now to find all the mistakes your making.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

It is only when you are not using the X pattern and instead using a straight across the hone, left to right, that you need to angle the razor.

Randy,

I was looking at the 1961 Barbers Manual. It is facts looks like you do tilt the razor when using the X pattern. I have used both the straight up and down motion and the tilted razor with the X pattern and for me have found the tilted method works best for me both in honing and stropping. Am I missing something?

No your not missing anything. The old instructions are inconsistent regarding the X pattern and using an angle. Do whatever works best for you. I always use an angle on the blade.
The most important point is to be consistent so that you can evaluate the differences. I do not mix angled with straight on the same razor.


Just my two cents,

Originally Posted by jmsbcknr

Randy,

I was looking at the 1961 Barbers Manual. It is facts looks like you do tilt the razor when using the X pattern. I have used both the straight up and down motion and the tilted razor with the X pattern and for me have found the tilted method works best for me both in honing and stropping. Am I missing something?