Thread: Half sharp, half dull blade. Remedies?

I'm a still rather new to honing and have acquired a free blade with a slight smile. I have been trying to hone this thing for a while and can't seem to get it. The back 1/3 of the blade is super sharp, hanging hair test sharp. The middle third barely shaves hair at all, and the end of the blade would only be useful for cutting butter. I use the technique for smiling blades and have even focused only on the tip to just try and get it sharper, but have failed. I do notice that the spline at the dull end of the blade has at least twice the hone wear as the sharp end and it was that way before i started honing. Any thoughts to get this bad boy back in action?

PIC???

Simple thing honing, you rub the steel across the hone and it sharpens the edge... At least that is what the "It ain't Rocket Science" guys keep saying ...

Your bevel is not set, go back down to a 1k stone and get the bevel set so the entire edge is sharp before you do any more honing, to move away from the 1k hone before that bevel is fully set is just a waste of time and patience...

A pic of the razor and a run down of what stones you have available would help us help you...

Atop of what Glen says, it also sounds like you might need to use some kind of rolling stroke based on your description of the hone wear - probably why the bevel was not set properly in the first place.

Grab a magic marker and paint both sides of the bevel with it - take a look at where your edge is (or is not) hitting. That will give you an idea of how you might have to manipulate the razor on the hone to hit the edge all the way along.

James.

It was the bevel. I dulled the blade a bit on a glass jar and went back to my 1000 norton stone. It took 70 or so strokes per side before all parts of the blade could shave arm hair. Hit it with an 8k stone and now it's sharp. Not hanging hair sharp but good enough. I'm always paranoid about over honing. Can't wait to try it out tonight.

Originally Posted by mranderson

I'm always paranoid about over honing....

Actually, if you browse through the Honing forum, chat with the honemeisters and practice honing you'll find that overhoning is not an easy thing to do. If anything, most blades that are thought to be overhoned are actually underhoned - which is a really easy thing to do

Have fun and good luck.