Thread: Honing H. Wacker razors.

I've done some searching here about these razors and have noticed this. Some have said that using Norton waterstones with these razors may lead to microchipping of the edge. Reason I ask is I have two Wacker's arriving tomorrow. At the moment I do not hone my own razors but was thinking about picking up a Norton 4000/8000 in the near future. Anyone care to comment? Should I be concerned? Anyone use a Wacker and hone on a Norton?

Jimk
i would say please don't learn honing on your Waker. i assume they are costly razor's.
buy some cheap old ugly bay razor and your norton hone and learn how to hone. then you should be ok.
Now about your original question
Norton makes micro chipping
This is true
If you do make more strokes then you should be. edge will brake down. In some razor's it will happen earlier then others . but this will happen in all of them not just wacker's.
to avoid this you will need to have better quality hone.
by the way 16k shapton does worse if you use more then you should
this is another factor HAD people constantly looking for better natural hones.
Escher, coticule ,Japanse hones.
hope this helps.

Aren't those prehoned?

Originally Posted by mainaman

Aren't those prehoned?

The Wackers from Shaving Shop are. I've got one of those on my want list. The spirit is willing but the wallet is weak.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The Wackers from Shaving Shop are. I've got one of those on my want list. The spirit is willing but the wallet is weak.

I know what you mean.

I own a 4/8" H Wacker. It did come sharp but nót shave ready. Have to do additional honing (haven't gotten around to it, I practice my honing on less expensive razors)

Certain razors get this reputation, Wackers are one of them, the newer larger Friodurs are another...

The problem is not really the stones it is in the honing combination...
Every razor has a combination that takes them from dull to shaving sharp, experience teaches you where to take them...

What this means:

Let's take any given razor after the bevel is set, some might like to get really sharp in the 4k range, then like a few 8k stokes and something above that to really pop...
Others might like only a minimal of 4k range to get just barely sharp then many 8k and above to refine the edge...

Wackers tend to like to be polished not sharpened... so once the bevel is set you want a minimum in the 4k range and then get up into the 8k and stay there gently polishing the edge into a fine shave sharp...

Keep in mind this is JMHO everyone is different and once other stones are introduced all this changes... But on the Norton 4/8 I would get up into the 8 really fast and stay there... The other trick that works on these is small pyramids on the 4/8 to really sneak up on an edge...

But keep this in the back of your mind at all times, that Norton 4/8 is more than capable of sharpening any razor to a comfortable edge, it is all in how you use it...

I would agree that with these and all razors for that matter, that the bevel set is key. I have done a bunch of these using Norton's, Naniwas and Shaptons with a variety of finishing stones and they are nice shavers.

I find that lighter pressure after the bevel set is a plus with these razors.

Lynn

Thanks Glen and Lynn, reminds me that Joe Chandler said that he likes to use a Tam 'O Shanter in place of the 4k Norton on Wackers and other blades that are hard and prone to chipping. That was the last post in the Tam 'O Shanter thread here. So if anyone out there has a Tam and any chip prone razors that might be the way to go.

Thanks for the input guys. So would a set up of a 12g chinise waterstone, .5 micron diamond treated felt strop, .5 micron CrOx treated flesh side leather strop, smooth leather strop used in that order be correct to maintain the a Wacker's edge? As I understand it when this would no longer can bring an edge back to shaving statis then it would be time to have the bevel re-cut, correct?