I empathize with Holli4pirating !

It's taken 3 months worth of experimenting and hard work to get my Frederick Reynolds honed up! In the beginning, I knew it would be a tough job and elected to tape the spine to try to make the job a smidge easier. Well, after trying to get a decent bevel on and off for a couple months, I gave up....the metal was just too hard.

This week, I pulled it out again and decided that this was it...do or die. I said the heck with tape, I'm either going to hone this guy up or I'll ground it to shavings. I whipped out the 220 wet/dry I use for lapping and went to work resetting that bevel. I ground away at that bugger for a couple hours on 220 until I thought I had a good enough bevel set under a magnification. Moved up the the 1k-8k naniwas and finished up on crox and a sturdy stropping. SUCCESS!!!

I went in to shave to test it out...only to discover...

I like Wade & Butchers better....

:gaah:

I understand your pain with Reynolds, as i've had exact the same troubles honing my Sheffields. It takes time, nerves, and several bottles of beer, but ain't it nice feeling once you get it done (after so many tries).
Once i notice that the steel is hard i start with few laps on coarse stones (220 - 400), and wont change into 1k until the bevel is done. That is the hardest part.
Honing Solingens or Swedes is almost like a walk in a park after you know how difficult these Sheffields are.

Interestingly enough, I have a quite large Reynolds out getting honed right now... I now pity the poor SOB who has to work on it... It's very nearly a wedge (sorry, Brad :boohoo:)

Also, I'm thinking I'll end up hiring someone for a Wostenholm sitting in my display case... I'm a little afraid to tackle it before I have more ebay razors under my belt, but I want to get it in the rotation... Ah well... That's life.

And, hey, if you don't like your reynolds, I can give it a loving home :p

Cheers,
Jeremy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by red96ta

It's taken 3 months worth of experimenting and hard work to get my Frederick Reynolds honed up! In the beginning, I knew it would be a tough job and elected to tape the spine to try to make the job a smidge easier. Well, after trying to get a decent bevel on and off for a couple months, I gave up....the metal was just too hard.

This week, I pulled it out again and decided that this was it...do or die. I said the heck with tape, I'm either going to hone this guy up or I'll ground it to shavings. I whipped out the 220 wet/dry I use for lapping and went to work resetting that bevel. I ground away at that bugger for a couple hours on 220 until I thought I had a good enough bevel set under a magnification. Moved up the the 1k-8k naniwas and finished up on crox and a sturdy stropping. SUCCESS!!!

I went in to shave to test it out...only to discover...

I like Wade & Butchers better....

:gaah:

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On a tangentially related note, I have hones going from 1000 to 12000... However, now I'm considering somethign coarser... I love Naniwas, and know they sell a 220 and 400 on SRD... Would you recommend I get both the 220 and the 400, or should the 400 alone (or the 220 alone) be sufficient?

Thanks!
Jeremy

I would think that 220 should be enough.

I am also one who would send a Reynolds out to a pro. I have 3 done by pros, and all three are outstanding.

First, I bought a 6/8 wedge one from B&B that had been honed by Glen. Amazing edge.

Second, I sent out a 6/8 faux frameback to Ken Rupkalvis a couple of weeks ago. Amazing edge.

Finally, a few days ago I got a 7/8 Reynolds chopper back from Max. Amazing edge.

I will leave the hard steel to the pros ... modest amount of money well spent.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by red96ta

I went in to shave to test it out...only to discover...

I like Wade & Butchers better....

:gaah:

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How about if i challenge you?
you send it to me i hone it and send back to you . You shave test half face wade and butcher half with Reynolds then come up this forum say your honest opinion?
if you accept send me pm;

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

How about if i challenge you?
you send it to me i hone it and send back to you . You shave test half face wade and butcher half with Reynolds then come up this forum say your honest opinion?
if you accept send me pm;

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Please take advantage of this offer it will do you and the razor a lot of good!

I accepted hi_bud_gl's offer. That FR will go out next week with a full a complete side-by-side comparison to follow...think maybe I'll do the comparison ala Deadliest Warrior :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by red96ta

I accepted hi_bud_gl's offer. That FR will go out next week with a full a complete side-by-side comparison to follow...think maybe I'll do the comparison ala Deadliest Warrior :)

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This is very cool. I love it!

I told you Reynolds are the devil to hone. Most Sheffield blades take a long time just cause they are heavy grinds, but they actually tend to have "soft" steel - I mean soft compared to German, Swedish and American razors (I haven't done enough French to say about them). But most Reynolds that I have done are extremely hard. That hardness, coupled with the heavy grinds, makes them take FOREVER.

I've used a Norton 220, and that really helps. The only thing I don't like about it is that the Norton 220 is relatively soft, so it breaks down and releases grits. When this happens with a heavy grind, you get scratches just above the bevel and just under the hone wear on the spine. If the grit that breaks free is large enough, it can cause scratches that run maybe 1/8 of an inch up from the bevel. (The same thing can happen on a Norton 1k, btw, but I think you have to use a fair amount of pressure for it to happen).

Since I do use pressure when setting bevels on razors that need a lot of work, I'm thinking of ponying up and buying one or two Choseras. Specifically, I'm thinking the 600 to do the grunt work and then move up to my Norton 1k, but I may also get the Chosera 1k as well. We'll see what the funding situation looks like...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I told you Reynolds are the devil to hone. Most Sheffield blades take a long time just cause they are heavy grinds, but they actually tend to have "soft" steel - I mean soft compared to German, Swedish and American razors (I haven't done enough French to say about them). But most Reynolds that I have done are extremely hard. That hardness, coupled with the heavy grinds, makes them take FOREVER.

I've used a Norton 220, and that really helps. The only thing I don't like about it is that the Norton 220 is relatively soft, so it breaks down and releases grits. When this happens with a heavy grind, you get scratches just above the bevel and just under the hone wear on the spine. If the grit that breaks free is large enough, it can cause scratches that run maybe 1/8 of an inch up from the bevel. (The same thing can happen on a Norton 1k, btw, but I think you have to use a fair amount of pressure for it to happen).

Since I do use pressure when setting bevels on razors that need a lot of work, I'm thinking of ponying up and buying one or two Choseras. Specifically, I'm thinking the 600 to do the grunt work and then move up to my Norton 1k, but I may also get the Chosera 1k as well. We'll see what the funding situation looks like...

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I'm leaning towards a naniwa 220, or a 220 and 400... Probably the 200 because an 800 grit jump really isn't that bad (Hell, I go from the 1k to a 5k)

I have the Naniwa Superstone 400. It does cut pretty quick, but it also breaks down extremely quickly. You'll notice a dish after one razor - I mean, if you have a razor that needs to see a hone that low you have a lot of work to do so you'll be there a while. That's why I prefer the Choseras for that low - they are harder so they won't dish as much and they are not gritty like the Nortons.

The title page to next weeks Deadliest Warrior: :)

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