Thread: Need advice on honing a dinged razor

Ok, this is gonna be a quick post cause I have to leave for work in a few minutes, but I want to get my razor back in shaving condition asap.

I dropped my razor today, might I add the only one out of four that is shave ready And I was just getting the edge where I liked it with my paddle strop. But my new norton 4/8k arrived today so not all is lost.

It did not chip the blade, but rather bent the fin over to one side in two small spots. I can feel it sticking over on one side. Should I back hone this a little bit to get this messed up edge off? Or should I just hone as Lynn demonstrated in his DVD? Keep in mind this is my first time honing a razor, ever. And would you recommend using the 8K or 4K side to smooth this boo boo off?

I will try to take some picks and post up on my break.

If it matters it is a 6/8 dovo full hollow.

Thanks for any advice.

Its a good time to learn some honing. I'd start with the 4K and cut down the bevel until the damaged section is removed. Then onto the 8K to smooth out the bevel, then some ultra light touches to add a bit of sharpness.

You won't get it at first but with practice atleast you'll get to use the Norton for awhile. And just think of all the cool questions you'll come up with and can post on here! Yeee HA!

I guess I'd recommend taping the spine at first until the damage is removed. Not my typical practice but in this instance its probably advisable.

Strop it on something hard and non-abrasive -- I used my counter top -- to try and bend the fin back. Then strop it firmly on linen for 100 laps or so and see how it looks. As long as it keeps getting better, keep stropping on the linen. Take it to the hone when the linen stops improving the edge.

I bent the fin on my John Clarke & Son once, and this routine got the ding nearly completely out. In the end it only took a few minutes on the hone to fix the edge.

Ahhhhh that sounds cool! A few minutes on 8K? Try Parker's routine first, sounds like a good plan.

Thanks guys, that sounds like a very good plan of attack. We have been meaning to get a nice large vanity for our bathroom for some time. We bought the house and it had a pedestal sink, with no room on the sides. So I use a movable towel rack and place it next to the sink. So that gives me a 5" wide by 10" long place to put my razor. I knew it would happen sooner or later. It fell through the towels and landed in between the grating on the bottom (kind of like the grates on a weber grill). I almost didn't want to pick it up, thought there would be a chunk gone. Did I also mention I have a ceramic tile floor Needless to say we went and picked out a 72" vanity with dual sinks and med. cabinets. Hope to start the project after the new year.

I will give it a go tomorrow if time allows. Hopefully I get my new Otto Hess sooner than I thought

I will try attaching some pics of the damage below.

Pics will not work, too large. I cut some of pic out but it is still 566kb. Is there some way I can make the picture smaller? All I have is Microsoft XP with Office, no fancy photo editors or anything.

Originally Posted by Sec162

I will try attaching some pics of the damage below.

Pics will not work, too large. I cut some of pic out but it is still 566kb. Is there some way I can make the picture smaller? All I have is Microsoft XP with Office, no fancy photo editors or anything.

Here is a good way to attach pictures to most message boards.

Use this site to post a photo: http://www.imageshack.us/
Browse until you find the photo you want to upload.
Check resize image and use the "640 x 480 (for message boards)".
Select "Host it"
It will upload the picture and show you a thumbnail.
Copy and paste the line called "Hot links for forum 1" right into the text of your post.

Preview your post and the picture should be there. Nothing to it...

Wow thanks a lot Iceman!! Here it goes...........

Holy cow that looks wierd! If you can bend that back and shave with it, more power to ya! I'm just dying to pull out a hone just looking at that edge from here.

Im not! I honed with my cheap boker the other day, had very poor uneven results. I am afraid to take a nice razor to the hone just yet. And Lynn made it look sooooooo easy on the DVD

Practice, practice, practice I guess.

I am guessing the edge hit on the grates and that is why it is pushed over like that.

Yea, lengthwise I suppose. Its a nice looking bevel, some really pretty work there. Did you try and bend it back yet with a stropping motion?