Thread: Wedge work

Hello

I have amassed a number of wedges lately (spurred by the wonderful shave with a 1/4 hollow Badaud I got from Joe CHandler). Some of them were near shave-ready (e.g. my 7/8 W&B, which I touched up well enough), while several others I actually had to grind (dremmel sharpenning stone, 600 sandpaper) to take out chips.

On almost all of them, after some honing without pressure I get thumb grab and shave hand hair, but HHTs are simply not to be had. I think I worked 3 days on one of these razors and it's still not sharp enough. The Elliot silver steel seems to hardly change on the hones at all. I got an EAB frameback (shaped like a thin wedge) to pass HHTs along the entire blade (thanks to tips from Ilija and Michael here!) and shave was still tuggy.

So, is this normal and do I just need to do more pyramids or is there some special secret for honing wedges? I seem to do much better honing full hollows.

Thanks
Ivo

Wedges have a lot of metal to remove, and I think the multiple passes plays havoc with the fine edge you need.

Once you're passing the HHT tape the spine and do a few passes on your finishing hones with the lightest pressure possible, the tape gets the bulk of the wedge off the stone so you're only working on the edge.

I actually don't even take off the tape from the 4k - just keep it for the 8k / Lithide (especially on the tinged framebacks)

Maybe I can put double tape to get the effect you describe

Thanks for the tip
Ivo

For the frameback you shouldn't need to do this -- they hone up just like a hollow ground razor.

Did you learn anything from the magic marker test?

Originally Posted by mparker762

For the frameback you shouldn't need to do this -- they hone up just like a hollow ground razor.

Did you learn anything from the magic marker test?

Indeed, I did. The hone was not touching the edge at the toe. I took the 4/8 Frameback to the wet/dry sandpaper to remove some metal and establish a new bevel, then 4K / 8K and Lithide, stropping. Got HHTs alond the whole blade but today's shave proved it's not sharp enough - tugged much more than my Goldedge (from Robert Williams). Nevertheless, finished the 1st pass with it with good results.

I am having even more difficulties with a JE frameback. It's 7/8 (!!!) and I like it very much but cannot get HHT anywhere yet. Tonight it's going back to the hones.

But when it comes to a Wostenholm ~ 7/8 humpback hybrid b/n wedge and kind of frameback and a JE ~ 7/8 silver steel - I am getting nowhere at all. I should say thay I did grind these with the Dremmel to remove big chips (not big by the sellers' standards, obviously...)

CHeers
Ivo

Ivo, how's the Lithide working out for you? I've got one on the way. Are you using it wet, dry or slurried?

For any of the razors that you used the Dremel on to remove chips then you have buggered up the bevel quite badly. It is completely off. Take some 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, wet it, and lay it on top of a large hone. Then hone on the 1000 grit until the edge passes the thumbnail test perfectly. Then proceed on to the 4000 or medium grit hone.
Never use a Dremel to clean up an edge. Always use a 1000 grit stone or sandpaper of that approx grit. If your razors have a "smile" edge then use an X pattern with a 30-45 degree angle.

Try this and let us know how it works for you.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by izlat

Hello

I have amassed a number of wedges lately (spurred by the wonderful shave with a 1/4 hollow Badaud I got from Joe CHandler). Some of them were near shave-ready (e.g. my 7/8 W&B, which I touched up well enough), while several others I actually had to grind (dremmel sharpenning stone, 600 sandpaper) to take out chips.

On almost all of them, after some honing without pressure I get thumb grab and shave hand hair, but HHTs are simply not to be had. I think I worked 3 days on one of these razors and it's still not sharp enough. The Elliot silver steel seems to hardly change on the hones at all. I got an EAB frameback (shaped like a thin wedge) to pass HHTs along the entire blade (thanks to tips from Ilija and Michael here!) and shave was still tuggy.

So, is this normal and do I just need to do more pyramids or is there some special secret for honing wedges? I seem to do much better honing full hollows.

Thanks
Ivo

One more suggestion. Temporarily stop using the Lithide and see what the razor shave's like. Then use the Lithide and see if there is any improvement or....?

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Ivo, how's the Lithide working out for you? I've got one on the way. Are you using it wet, dry or slurried?

I use it both wet and dry; I think I prefer wet. It works OK but honestly I have been satisfied with shaves off the 8K just as much... the advantage is that sometimes it's easier to use than soaking the Norton for 10 min. Just today, I used it to put a WICKED (well, for me at least) WICKED edge on a Taylor. Boy, this thing is easy to hone! Haven't shaved with it yet, but have high hopes for a nice shave


Randy -

I am doing exactly this with the wedges! 30x revealed issues with bevel / edge and so today I just did several sessions on the sandpaper. Tomorrow I'll continue w/ this, not ready for the 4K yet. Maybe in a couple of days... I am also thinking of dropping the lithide for them, as I was just telling Ilija I have gotten nice shaves off the 8K

Thank you for the tips!
Ivo

It looks like the Lithide will be relegated to a travelling touchup role, but I'll give it a shot anyways.