Thread: Correct an uneven blade

I have a straight razor who's blade is slightly irregular. It Looks Like this:


_
[ ]
[ \
[ | <- This is the middle of the blade
[ |
[ /
[ |
| /
0 < this is where the tang begins.

Of course, it's hard to capture this with computer symbols, but I'm sure you get the gist. It isn't as horrible as it looks, it's actually quite subtle. You can't see it unless you compare the blade to a ruler.

I have a two-sided Westaco water hone and ample free time. Do you imagine that all I need to do is hone out the imperfection, or is there a specific technique that I need to adopt?

Keep in mind that my knowledge of honing is very little to nothing as-is.

Thanks for reading

First off if you plan to shave with it send it out to a professional
we do have Honemeisters in canada (Look at the classefieds under member services)
What brand is it?
Who honed it last?
Can we get pictures?

If its severe it could be honed out with cirkles holding the spine a little up from the hone(like a knife) and then cirkles/X-s/swooping/rolling X-s (as needed) laying flat on the hone

I have no idea what hones you have but i doubt it will give you a good shave

+1 on sending it out.
Sounds like it needs the bevel reset. What stones you need depends on the size of the chips & irregularities. Possibly 1k or coarser to start. As I have no idea what a Westaco water hone is I can't really comment on that. If it is a 4/8 k hone & the chips are visible to the naked eye you may be at it some time with both lapping the stone & honing the razor.

I had a Dovo like that. 'Sent it to the able GSsixgunner, and was very glad I did. I do my other blades, but especially w/ more than one irregular area, I wouldn't mess w/ it.

Aldarith,

+1 on the sending it out.

I am constantly amazed at what the Homemeisters can do with a blade that is 'tired'

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

When I look at your diagram in the post, the edge looks like jagged sawteeth (ie: chipped). If this is the case, you need major honing. Send it out for honing, and learn to hone on something easier.

When I look at your diagram in the tiny preview window that pops up when I hover my mouse over the post's title in the main honing forum list, I see the middle is wider than the toe and heel, and there is a smooth curve. If this is the case, it's called a "smile", and suppossed to be there. Most people think a slightly smiling blade shaves better - but it's definitely a little more involved to hone.

It it's shaving fine, don't hone it. If it's too dull to shave with, try stropping on some cromium oxide. If it still isn't sharp enought to shave with, send it out for honing, and learn to hone on something easier.

I'm actually quite fond of smiles, but this razor doesn't have a nice one. The problem is that at the spike tip the razor is straight as a ruler for about half to three-quarters of a centimeter, and then it starts to jut outwards before becoming straight again near the shoulder. It just seems unnatural to me to have a shape like that.