Trouble getting a wedge honed ....

Hi all,

Many of the folks I read about and have actually used, don't hone wedges.

I assume this is because of a few factors:

1. wedges are difficult to accurately hone, they take more work...
2. wedges are very hard on the hones themselves as so much more material touches.
3. wedges don't seem to like synthetic stones, and not everyone has natural stones.

Am I accurate in my assumptions here?

Then comes the tough question. Who WILL hone a wedge?? Has anyone sent one off to be honed by anyone in particular, and was happy with the results?

If you happen to get a large, old W&B wedge, can you even get it honed anywhere?

Thanks for any and all info!!

Later mates,

I'd say that assumptions 1 and 2 are correct. As for Synthetic vs. natural stones, it seems like metal hardness and composition would matter more than blade shape.

I have one smiley old Sheffield wedge (9/16 to 6/8) I've given up on for a while, but I recently got a DMT 600/1200 plate that might cut fast enough to resume the Battle of the Bevel. Last weekend I picked up an American-made 5/8" wedge that I'm eager to hone. The American steel will probably be harder than the Sheffield, but because the blade is smaller and doesn't smile, I think it might be more manageable.

I've come to avoid full wedges, because of the honing challenge. I still prefer partial wedges to full hollows, though. They're slightly more laborious to hone than hollows, but only slightly and I like the shaves much better.

If you'll be at the Denver meetup I can tell you what I've found with this 5/8 American wedge.

Best wishes.

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Originally Posted by mjhammer

Hi all,

Many of the folks I read about and have actually used, don't hone wedges.

I assume this is because of a few factors:

1. wedges are difficult to accurately hone, they take more work...
It really really depends not on the "wedge" but the wear on the wedge :)
If you have ever honed a NOS wedge then they hone as fast as a Hollow with a tiny little bevel..
Unfortunately many of the old Sheffield wedges have been honed to death so you have to fix that first :(


2. wedges are very hard on the hones themselves as so much more material touches.
See #1 but no not really, it is just a ton more material to remove, depending on how you are doing it...

3. wedges don't seem to like synthetic stones, and not everyone has natural stones.
Again not really true, my Nortons are by goto hones for Sheffield wedges...

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If we all make the Denver meet I will show ya some tricks... but always remember that it is the 100+ years of people honing these razors that have destroyed the bevels not that the razor started with that bevel :)

Or more accurately, "First you have to restore the bevel, Then you can hone the razor" :rofl2:

I think the main reason people don't use wedges is because they are big, heavy and clumsy relics of another time-har har. They prefer the "modern" straights.

Well, the 2 existing wedges I have are both 4/8" and really quite light. One looks like it was hardly used for a 1890's razor. The other looks like it was loved, used and cared for really well.

Now the reason I ask is because I have 2 W&B's coming, and I am pretty sure one of them is a 7/8's wedge. Why should I bother to restore it if I can't get it honed?

That's going to give me at least 3 and maybe 4 wedges or near wedges in my collection. I'll sell them off if I can't use them.

Thanks to all, but it still doesn't really tell me, where/who hones wedges? And thanks to all the locals who are planning on making the meet. I will be there for sure!! It just sounds like a lot of fun. I hope they serve beer. ;)

bye!

I've personally had Glen(gssixgun) who just posted up there^^^ hone a 7/8's W&B Wedge razor for me and was absolutely amazed at how good it shaved when I got it back. That being said, there's alot of good Honemeisters on this site, check the classifieds under Member Services and you will find a few. But I've personally had Glen hone almost that same razor and couldn't be happier. Hope this helps. Blake