Thread: Need Honing Advice for Uneven Bevel (w/ pics)

Hi guys, I could use a little advice:
I 've taken in a razor to hone for a friend, made in PDRK, as a chance to practice my new honing skills. The blade is fairly straight and even, and doesn't seem to have any warps or crookedness. But it's got a couple issues. I want to tread very carefully because it's not my razor. When I first got it, I noticed it had a small frown, so I ground the edge down to a very slight smile (very slight) and recovered the bevel.... mostly. This is where the other issue is: the bevel is very uneven, but only on one side. At one point it almost seems to disappear The other side has an almost perfectly straight, even-width bevel. I'm guessing that the blade itself varies in thickness. (?!?)
I've tried to show this in the photos, with limited success. The first pic shows that even bevel, and the second shows the side with the un-even bevel (at the area by the pencil). And a flair in width near the tip.
It seems to be a sharp bevel at that area; shaves arm hair off the 8K pretty well.
Is the bevel too thin? Should I try adding more smile to the edge? Is there anything I can or need to do to widen the bevel? As it's not my razor, I don't want to do anything I can't undo but the goal is to get it shave ready.
Thanks guys!

What do you mean you ground it down?

Is the bevel totally set or no? If yes, it doesn't matter what the wear looks like.

Hi Holli!
By "ground down" I mean that I ran it vertically on edge on the skinny edge of my 1K hone until the profile of the edge had a slight smile. Then I honed it properly on 1k untill the bevel came back. Seemed like a good idea at the time; was that wrong to do?

As for the bevel's being set, I would say yes. I used felt-maker at the beginning (truth be told, that's how I found the frown) and it does shave arm hair equally well on either side.

I am personally not a fan of breadknifing, which is the term that seem to be applied to what you did, but I have seen others say they have done it and like it. But there are enough other threads about that, so no need to get into it here, right?

If the bevel is set and you can shave arm hairs all along the edge off the 1k, the sizes of the bevels are just cosmetic and you shouldn't worry about them.

Music to my ears, Holli. Thanks.

What i am seeing from picture is it doesn't look like bevel has been set where pencil pointed.
if that is correct then you need to do this.
take out tape.
all way.
Remember problem is not on the bevel ,problem is in the back of the blade in pencil pointed side.
you will need hone down location where is pencil pointed (from that point to the tip).
you can protect to toward to heel location by using small tape and rest part go head use 1k and great exact size of the bevel.(similar to heel). then take tape out and make at least 5-10 strokes without tape and even up whole edge(this is your coal). as soon as you rich it you can go head back and put whole length of the blade back on and continue hone the blade.
gl

Thanks Hi_bud_gl
I'm not sure if I understand you correctly .Do you mean that that I should put a small piece of tape on the edge at the heel? I can see how that would tip it up towards the tip. And honing it out that way would probably increase the smile of the blade wouldn't it? Probably not a bad thing.

NO Please Problem is not in your EDGE?
PROBLEM ON THE BACK OF THE BLADE.
You put tape where you see bevel set but on the back of the blade.
you never tape edge leave edge alone.
by putting the tape on the back you are protecting the edge where bevel already set.
if you have narrow hone you can do the job without tape but if you don't have it tape the back of the blade.
Let me try another way.
if you edge is 3 inch long and only 1 inch of it close to the heel has bevel set then use 1 inch long tape and put it exact same location on back of the blade.
Sorry not clean english.
hope this helps and clears.

Where hi bud gl is refferring to the "back of the blade". I believe he is referring to the "spine of the blade". Tape the spine near the heel over the length where the bevel is set.

Originally Posted by Maskwa

Where hi bud gl is refferring to the "back of the blade". I believe he is referring to the "spine of the blade". Tape the spine near the heel over the length where the bevel is set.

yes that is exactly right. i thought everyone calls back.oops