Thread: A couple question from a beginner

Originally Posted by Ryan79

Fingers on the blade
Yes, I am using a finger on the blade to keep it flat (like TokIk's video). Yesterday I tried without a finger on the blade (like Lynn's video) and I couldn't keep it flat on the away stroke.

The part that I colored is what draws my attention. It would seem to me that if you need to keep your finger on the blade in order to maintain contact your stroke is rather uneven (the pressure at various points on the blade varies a lot during the stroke) which would prevent your razor from developing a proper bevel.

I really don't know what to suggest as I don't have much experience teaching others to hone, but your best bet is to find somebody local who can help you in person. Randy (randydance<somenumbers>) used to do skype honing help with members who were having troubles, may be see if that could be done...

8BallAce, I'm using Norton stones. 1K, 4K and 8K. I used the norton lapping stone to flatten them. I penciled the grid on the stones to make sure it they were flat.

Gugi, it feels like I'm keeping it even when the other finger is behind the toe of the blade, but maybe I'm lifting or angling it weird and I can't tell.

I think I'll try coloring the edge black and to see how it looks. I suppose I should tape the spine, at this rate I'll have to buy another razor to practice on before I get it shave ready.

I am a new oldie at this and have read a good bit about this over the past years. If you are sharpening with a honing stone that has an uneven surface, it can cause the type of uneven sharpening as you speak of. Check your razor hone to see if it is completely flat or to make certain that you are using a hone that has been lapped. If the stone is truly flat, it will remove the same amount of metal at all points on the blade, if it is not completely flat it will not. Take a straightedge and lay on your stone and move it across the stone to make certain that there are no low or raised spots on your honing stone. Hope that helps some; just something else to check out. Sonny082

I lapped the stones, but I'll check it out. I figured that if the hone wasn't flat, the uneven areas of the bevel would be at the same place on the blade. I didn't take into account the x stroke.

Originally Posted by Sonny082

I am a new oldie at this and have read a good bit about this over the past years. If you are sharpening with a honing stone that has an uneven surface, it can cause the type of uneven sharpening as you speak of. Check your razor hone to see if it is completely flat or to make certain that you are using a hone that has been lapped. If the stone is truly flat, it will remove the same amount of metal at all points on the blade, if it is not completely flat it will not. Take a straightedge and lay on your stone and move it across the stone to make certain that there are no low or raised spots on your honing stone. Hope that helps some; just something else to check out. Sonny082

That's true _if the edge is straight_ in 3 dimensions.

But with a completely flat stone, and a straight spine (another assumption):

If the blade is warped (wrapped around a cylinder), you'll get one wear pattern on one side, a different wear pattern on the other side.

If the edge "smiles" or "frowns", you'll get an uneven wear pattern, but it will be the same on both sides of the blade.

Life is complicated.

Charles