Thread: Honing a trapezoidal blade?

I've been a little curious about this but might have trouble describing it. I've bought a Case Red Imp, knowing that the blade wasn't completely perfect. Anyhow, let me see if I can describe the issue. It's not frowned, but the heel is wider than the toe. The spine wear is more pronounced at the toe, than at the heel as well. Which makes perfect sense ofc. But what steps would a person take first, in honing this razor? I was thinking it may be necessary to take the blade to a slow grinding wheel, after tracing the spine onto the cutting edge. Then removing metal up to my new line. But the problem of more spine wear at the toe than the heel will still exist. The other option I was considering is deliberately using a toe heavy stroke in an attempt to try to even out the spine wear. I always figure a blade like this was put away at the point where the guy who used it before me could no longer get it sharp. And I assume he couldn't get it sharp any longer because of the way he sharpened it. So the blade is trapezoidal I guess now. I know people have encountered this before a billion times, but wasn't sure where to look to find a pinpoint answer. So here's the post. Thanks in advance.

I would lean more to the thinking that it was put away when he died. I would try to figure out the stroke that the previous owner used and copy it.

I'm thinking it will either lay flat on the hone with the wear as is .... or it won't. If it won't you might do circles until it will .... or if that is a lot of metal removal, and not the way it looks like you should go, a modified rolling x stroke might do it. Some guys have recommended taping the spine in the worn area only , but I have no experience with trying that. I've always avoided blades with that type of wear because they don't appeal to me cosmetically. Therefore my contribution, such as it is, ... is more speculation than experience.

Well he just passed last winter. He was a local barber who retired many years ago, and this was out of his collection. As sketchy as I think it is when someone says that, I do have it on good provenance. He may never have used this one though I guess. It might have just been something he picked up after retiring as a memento. But all his blades were like this. It's fairly easy to copy the stroke. It's a typical knife sharpening type stroke I'd use. So that's what made me think they all came from the same sharpener. Thanks 32T! Anybody wanna second that motion?

And Jimmy, I was overcome when I saw an Imp for 19 bucks. Only time will tell if I should have saved my pennies for one a little more aesthetically pleasing. I was hoping I'd be able to figure a way to make it right again. But we'll see.

You could try the Trapezoidal rule and if that doesn't work, move to higher-order Runge Kutta methods...



James.

Are you talking about a Honed out toe ????

The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Originally Posted by regularjoe

...But the problem of more spine wear at the toe than the heel will still exist. The other option I was considering is deliberately using a toe heavy stroke in an attempt to try to even out the spine wear...

Do you mean a heel heavy stroke? And could that cause the spine to be curved? I'm not experienced in honing at all, but I'd agree that if it lays evenly on the hone it should sharpen. I'd work with it as it is for a while and see if you can get it to work.

I'm resisting the urge to send my De Pews away as I'm learning a lot trying to get it to work as it is (sort of a curved blade); though I did take some of the stabilisers at the heel off after some advice.

I hope you get it sorted, and I bet it'll be fun learning!

Carl

Yes Gssixgun, that's exactly it! Sorry I didn't see that myself. I'll read that article. But I will say that mine isn't nearly as extreme as the one shown in the wiki.

Carl, yes, I messed that up. HEEL heavy stroke is what I meant. And give yourself a little credit. You've been honing now for quite a while, if I remember right. You may not be at a 100 percent success rate, but you've got experience.

My plan is to go with any idea that is suggested and seconded. lol. I figure if it worked for two guys, it'll work for me. It does lay flat on the hone, but I'd like to bring it back to correct shape if possible. Otherwise, I'll continue to make it more and more "honed out".

[QUOTE=regularjoe;991752]...Carl, yes, I messed that up. HEEL heavy stroke is what I meant. And give yourself a little credit. You've been honing now for quite a while, if I remember right. You may not be at a 100 percent success rate, but you've got experience...QUOTE]

Thanks dude. Well, I have kept my five razors at a point that they'll keep me from looking like a homeless bum for a year, so I guess that does count for something. Some of these guys have honed THOUSANDS or razors though! One day, one day I'll sit with a fellow straight razor shaver and we'll be able to hone together in real life so to speak. It'll be interesting (if it ever happens) to learn and also to may pass on some knowledge. I did teach my son to hone, too :-)

Ok, so we've established it's called a honed out toe. lol. Any ideas for fixing it? Or maybe a picture would help?