Thread: Need advice sharpening a dull razor

First of all, let me tell you what I did to my poor razor: I stropped it on red paste with the spine lifted so that the blade was at an angle of 30 - 40 degrees with the strop. Laugh all you want, I didn't know any better then.

So yesterday I went to a razor sharpening course in the koordenwinkel (which was excellent btw) and I bought a beautiful yellow coticule with a natural blue stone back.

The guy who taught the course had a look at my razor with a lens, and told me what I already suspected. I.e. the edge is gone and I have spend a couple of hours on the stone if I want to restore it.

I spent some timing X'ing away, alternating between the yellow (8K) and the blue (4K). every so often I would do what the teacher told me, which is to test the knife on the edge of a folded post it note. If the edge cuts smoothly you know that the edge is back, and you automatically get rid of the loose barbs and serrations that are hanging on the edge.

When I hold the razor to the light, the light reflects from the edge at the same angle as the light on the spine where it touched the stone. I assumed that this meant the edge was back. Thinking about it right now, I realize that this does not guarantee that both sides of that edge touch each other of course...

I then stropped on red paste (about 20 Xes) and on the leather (10 Xes)
It is still dull. HHT fails, and I can't even shave the hair on my arms.

So here's my question:
what do I need to do? is it simply a matter of spending more time? if so, do I need to back hone in between to prevent overhoning?
How do know when the edge is back?

There is a thread with excellent advice on honing with a coticule (coming from Randy). Check it out as it will help you with your predicament.

Yes, more honing; less post-it notes.

Based on what your saying I think you might consider some trips on the 4K hone to establish a good bevel. What your doing now is too little with not enough oompf. I have a Belgian Blue and find its about 6K but is a very slow cutter. You might try some trips on that using just a little and I mean a little pressure as you hone.

Since coticules are slow cutters you may want to establish the initial bevel with some 1000 and 2000 grit wet/dry sand-paper before finishing it off on the coticule.

Ilija (Firestart) has the right idea. Tape the spine, put some 1K sandpaper on a glass top of plate or heavy tile, and hone away, with both the spine and edge touching the sandpaper. Keep checking the edge until it looks straight (a straight line with no chips) and even (the bevel should be the same height along its entire length). When it looks good, remove the tape and hone on the 4K. Every once in a while do a thumbNAIL test. When the razor passes the test you've got a good edge; sharpen it.

If your razor fails the thumbnail test, the way it fails tells you what's wrong and what you need to do. For example, if you get the symptom for a wire edge, do a few backhones, then work normally to pass the test.

A discussion of the thumbnail test appears in my artocle "An Organized Approach to Sharpening Razors" in my gallery. You can also get detailed information on the thumbnail test at classicshaving.com, the section called "how to ... and why", in th section where honing is discussed.

I agree with Joe Lerch on this one. Get the rough bevel back by using the 1k sandpaper. It should take no more than 10-25 laps. Then move on the the coarse side of the Belgian.

Ok I'll do that. I don't have sandpaper of that grit size at the moment, but I have to go to the hardware store tomorrow anyway.
Do I have to wet it or not?

Yes, wet it on both sides. I apply a section the size of my hone to the smoothest side. Remember, it must be wet/dry sandpaper, not ordinary sandpaper.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Yes, wet it on both sides. I apply a section the size of my hone to the smoothest side. Remember, it must be wet/dry sandpaper, not ordinary sandpaper.

What is the difference, and how do I distinguish between the 2?