Thread: Bevel setting question.

I recently bought some razors off ebay and hand sanded and polished the blades. Now that I want to hone them they are as dull as a butter knife! Is setting the bevel with the 220 side of my Norton 220/1000 alright or is it too coarse? It seemed like I was getting nowhere with the 1k until I dropped down to the 220 for awhile. I don't want to damage the blade so should I just spend more time on the 1k or get a DMT 600? I can't afford a DMT anytime soon so hopefully what I have will work.

I have asked quite a few questions lately and am very appreciative of all the great responses I have gotten! If you live in a small town this is the ONLY resource to get all your information! Thank you

Milkylee

I think I would try to use circles on the 1K, but I don't know 'cause I can't see it, feel it, taste it, etc....

A couple thoughts -- get off that 220 stone. Consider that some sort of emergency grinding stone, like removing a nick or attempting to correct a frowning razor.

Is you bevel-setter 1k recently flattened? Often helps.

Try some circles like richmondesi suggested.

Try a layer of tape on the spine.

Learn a good rolling-x stroke.

or,.....just put that razor down for a few hours. Lubricate yourself with a shot or two of Wild Turkey. Take a nap. Try again.

Yes, I just lapped it with 220 grit 3M sandpaper and I also had one piece of electrical tape on the spine. I will just keep using the 1k and do some circles and different strokes! Thanks

+1 to the 1K and one layer of tape. If you're new to honing stick with one razor at a time until you get one honed successfully. Take a look at Lynn and Glen at razor con '09 here for a demo of circles and x strokes. Also the SRP Wiki has a section on honing if you haven't already been through it.

IMO, if you're not sure use the 1k. I have used the Norton 220 on razors before, but I don't think it's a good idea unless you are confident going in that it's the right choice.

Yeah I've been sticking with the same razor. I honed it yesterday and shaved with it this morning. It was surprisingly smooth but left more stubble than my other professionally honed razors. I went back to the 1k did some more circles, then 10 X laps. Then went to my 4k and 8k then to the Chinese 12k, one side with slurry and one side without. Then stropped 75 times on newspaper, 10 laps on felt strop with diamond slurry, 60 on nylon webbing and finally 40 on my filly strop! I will shave again in the morning with this razor and see if it is any better. I'm using the TPT to see if it feels close to my other honed razors. Thanks again