Thread: Correcting Frown - Spine and Edge

Originally Posted by gnoils

Noted on the not remove the problem in one go.

But my problem is still honing it to a shaving worthy condition.

I have tried circles, x strokes and sweeping x strokes. Only the last seems to touch the middle part, but still not fully.

Putting my finger on the middle seems to help but since the problem is on most of the middle part, do I put my finger to cover all the middle area?

Short term try honing heal first so the stabilizer and bottom 1/4-1/8" inch of the spines heel is not
resting on the hone. Ten heal first then ten sweeping X almost as if the only part of the
hone you are using is the near half inch (feeling not reality). Pressure can make
it worse as it flexes the blade in ways that are wrong for finer finishing grits.

I have some old razors that show a lot of wear toward the toe. Looking at them I see a sloppy ramp
honed on the stabilizer and odd wear at the spine transition to the shank/handle. The original
owner and now me -- avoid these bits and hone heal forward.

The picture looks like a darn fine nearly new razor except for the BK bit.

It will hone.

It may be the classic case of a factory edge not being an
edge that a home shaver can refresh with ease. If so is a good
example of why so many folk ride the "hand honed, shave ready"
train. Still, It will hone.

If I hone the heel first and then the rest of the blade, wouldn't the frown develop again because of the uneven spine geometry?

Originally Posted by gnoils

If I hone the heel first and then the rest of the blade, wouldn't the frown develop again because of the uneven spine geometry?

With the full blade on a flat hone no.
I am betting that part of the problem is
that the last heal bit of the spine is getting
in the way.

Explore the way the hone and razor interact
using the magic marker test on both the
edge and on the spine with some light
hone strokes.

Because a razor is so thin and flexible it
is easy to hone unevenly. Keep the pressure
light and the hone flat and it will come to
you.

Thanks for all the advices gssxigun and niftyshaving.

Last night I gave it a shot.

Did the gssixgun angled 'knife hone' to get the bevel going. Then 3 layers of tape. Then 2 then honing as usual. I get very uneven bevel. The very toe, middle, and very heel are not sharp at all.

I tried sweeping x stroke with no avail.

Then I tried putting finger on all the problematic spots. I can get it sharp and shaving, but not smooth, lots of tugging, though no irritation.

Sy