Thread: New Ti 5/8, how much honing should it take?

I don't know why it takes so much honing on the razors you are doing Randy, but next time I'm in Minneapolis, I'll let you know and we can get together and go through some honing techniques. Lynn

Originally Posted by adjustme69

I don't know why it takes so much honing on the razors you are doing Randy, but next time I'm in Minneapolis, I'll let you know and we can get together and go through some honing techniques. Lynn

My reading of Wolf's post is that he has tried to hone this razor several times in a conservative manner. That is the correct approach, we both agree on that. It is only when a conservative approach fails do I suspect something else and recommend a more aggressive approach.

15 laps on a 4000 is not to much when the bevel is off and from watching the video's of Dovo and TI I can see where that may easily be a problem. It is difficult to hold the razor flat on a horizontal spinning wheel. I have tried that here at home on a horizontal waterwheel that I have.
It could also be that the amount of pressure used is insufficent for the stage his razor is in. This has been discussed quite a bit and at times a little pressure is a good thing.

But... time will tell what it takes for his razor to become shaving sharp.

I hope he keeps us posted.

I'll keep everyone posted as to how it's coming along from time to time. I'll either get it shaving sharp or go crazy in frustration. I've been working at it in my spare time. I'm a thirty year old who is a stay at home dad with 3 year old twins (Boy and Girl) and is going back to college to finish up his degree. My free time can be somewhat limited. Working for the airlines for over 10 years and raising twins has given me patients I never new existed. So more than likely the razor will end up shaving sharp before I give up.
I'm just amazed at how thin these blades are, yet how trying it can be to attain shaving sharpness. I suspect there are fine lines between somewhat dull, shaving sharp, and over honed. I've been watching my blade with the Radio Shack 60x-100x microscope and have not detected any typ of burr forming. I'd like to get a little more powerful microscope to really get in there on that edge and get a little better visual feedback. Once the blade is actaully keen enough to shave with the feel on my thumb will give me a better reference of what keen really feels like on a thumb test. I've tried the hair test even raking the hair back and forth in a sawing motion accross the edge...nada. The razor seems quite capable of removing my arm hair, yet is quit unshavable when it comes down to my facial hair.
I really do appreciate everyones help on this. It seems to me that honing is quite the feel thing and is hard to convey to the inexpeirenced. Couple that with the varying conditions of blades, materials, and the techniques of the individuals involved and it makes for quite a difficult task to give advice on what will definitely work and what won't. It's hard to diagnose a problem when you can't visually see what's going on and where the errors might be occuring. So thanks to everyone who has chimed in here to help me out, I will keep my progress posted. Thanks! - Tony

I also recieved a new TI from Classic.(Birthday Gift, 5/8 Art Deco) well, got a good slurry on the 4k side not sure how many passes but quite a bit, same on the 8k side but the last 10 i hold it with very light pressure. then strop, maybe 60 round trips. shaved with it had to strop twice during shave, no redness a real good shave. it seems like the TI's dont hold an edge long, as soon as i feel it pulling i strop, and its back. does anyone know if thats a problem with silver steel. i have another Ti thats the same. works great but doesnt seem to hold the edge for the entire shave. also i think if the blade isnt left flat on the strop it will take the edge off. as you are now changing the angle.

Originally Posted by George

as soon as i feel it pulling i strop, and its back. does anyone know if thats a problem with silver steel.

I had the same issue with a Henckels for a while. I think it might be a product of an inferior edge. If teh fins or the cutting teeth of the edge are irregular they will not be well supported in their job and get knocked about by the whiskers, thus demanding a stropping. Once I refined the edge just a little more using the pyramid honing method (search) the need for stropping during the shave was reduced. So was the blood factor.

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