Need help setting bevel.

Need help setting bevel.
Using hones: 1200 King Deluxe and Norton 4/8K.

I would like to know how much pressure people use for setting a bevel. I always hear about light pressure, but that doesn't seem to work with razors I have tried: 7/16 half hollow, 5/8 full hollow. I've watched a number of videos of people honing and a fair amount of swarf is coming off. On the King it takes forever to set a bevel with light pressure; can't see any steel coming off unless I use what seems like a lot of pressure.

Sharpened the 7/16 razor up yesterday. Followed an article that said to mark the edge and stay on the 1K until I could take the marker off with a few light strokes on the 4K, then did about 40 strokes firm and then the same light on the 4K, and about the same on the 8K. I sharpened until I thought it felt smooth on the hone. It cuts Ok, but still a lot off pulling. Do I need to go back to the King or can I go to the Norton?Thanks for your advice

go back to the king and start w/ moderate pressure, like you are mashing the entire blade into the stone, but don't flex the blade and start w/ 40 circles mod. pressure, 20 mod. pressure x strokes, then 40 circles light pressure 20 x strokes and test. It should be able to pass the tnt and tpt before moving on to anything higher. Drop down 5 strokes each set you do until the bevel is set. Move onto the 4k and perform 10 straight down the hone strokes, and 10 x- strokes w/ light pressure, then switch to that w/ no pressure. Go to 8k, 2 sets of samething except no pressure at all for both sets. Go to your finisher 5-10 light x strokes, sprays or pastes for 5-10 laps, then strop and test shave.

The marker test isn't used to see if you are finished on a certain stone. It's used to see if the blade is making even contact, and if not where it isn't making even contact w/ the hones surface; or where you need to push an edge a bit to help it catch up to the rest of the blade per se'. Look up lynnabrams on youtube go to his bevel setting on chocera video, he gives a good explanation of the pressures he uses to set his bevels.

Another thing that I learned to do is if you have a loupe hold the razor so light will reflect on the bevel and looking at it with the loupe I will slowly tilt the razor back and forth so I can watch the tip of the edge. If there is any dark areas near the tip almost like a shadow I find then the bevel isn't all the way to the tip, but that is usually with razors that need alot of work resetting the bevel. I do that along with the TPT. I also try and shave arm hair and if a razor can shave my arm hair smoothly and with no effort I will more up in stones. I am far from as experienced as most people on here and still learning, but this seems to work for me.

Binder, would these blades be ones that were either new, or shave-ready when you got them? Or possibly ones you 'won' on fleabay, antique store, etc. It matters alot.
'PMing you a link I found helpful.

Hello,

I know its hard to read mutiple advises but apart from meeting with someone whos experienced what else can we do but say what works for us and troble shoot problems.

I have found that the king 1000 is fine but on one of my blades it leaves a inconsistant edge, which is rough in places. So to get that pulling out I went to the 4000grit to set the bevel instead of the 1000king. I did 20 circles on both sides with a little pressure to take some metal off (May have to repeat). then 15 on both sides with less pressure, then 10...then 5 circles on both sides and Finally 10 x-strokes with extreamly light pressure to finish the 4000 grit. The is something like Lynn's 4000 bevel setting video but with a little progression to help me ease of on my pressure and to refine the edge to the best it can be before leaving the 4000 hone. The progression seems to train my hand to ease the pressure off, I don't know it just works.

If the bevel looks consistant, with a constant finish (meaning no scratches from previous hone) and takes hair off your arm really slick like then your good to move on.

When Setting the bevel

Too much pressure = Flexing the blade
Too much pressure = Creating a burr

Both of the above could happen at the same time :(


90% of the razors I get in for "Help" do not have a proper bevel set

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gssixgun

When Setting the bevel

Too much pressure = Flexing the blade
Too much pressure = Creating a burr

Both of the above could happen at the same time :(


90% of the razors I get in for "Help" do not have a proper bevel set

---

Thank you! I was getting a huge burr on my 8/8 W&B. I wasn't 100% sure that it was my pressure but this explains a lot. I was trying to rush it to get a couple chips out :/

I never use anything approaching "moderate pressure". Mostly, I find myself just gliding the razor over the stone and allowing the grit to do the job instead of forcing it. Most of my blades are wedgy and none are even half hollows. I learned the hard way on a full hollow that I used to learn to hone with. Pressure worked alright, but it also created a wide, unsightly bevel that was the result of pressure causing the hollow blade to flex. Using little pressure, or maybe none at all, may take longer, but it is difficult to mishone a blade that way. I've had really dull or damaged blades take a long time on 1K or even 220, but I still avoided the apparent need for pressure.

Setting the bevel with a fair amount of pressure works very well. The key is to keep the razor flat on the stone with the circles and follow up with X strokes. I have been doing 25-30 X strokes lately after the circles per set and the razors really seem to develop a nice bite when testing with the TPT. It is hard to develop a burr with this method. Keeps the amount of sets to a minimum as well. I am really finding that once new guys get the feel of the pressure and keep the razor flat that practice brings their technique around pretty well. Practice or learning is really key.

Have fun.

The 7/16 razor I bought from Whippeddog. It was sharp when I got it, but dulled it. The 5/8 is a Geneva I bought from an antique shop. It has a sway back and a slight smile. The videos I've watched make things look easy. 100 or 200 strokes. I've done a lot more than that. I soaked and lapped the King before I used it, but it seems like it needs pressure to to work. I have a 200 Imanishi hone and I'm tempted to use that. If the marker doesn't work to show when the bevel is done I don't know what to use for tests. The TPT, even on a DE blade just feels smooth when I slide along it, but I'm careful not to use much pressure. The razor I sharpened feels sharp. I can pop arm hair at skin level with some, but it doesn't shave easily. Cutting above skin level I think is only a dream. Maybe my hair doesn't work for testing.


Thanks everyone for posts

I have just been able to set a couple bevels and I found that light pressure works best for me. Let the stone do the work. To each his own. If you can get a shavable blade, you are doing things well. Now time to master your technique to expedite honing.

Could some of the more experienced guys shed light into this matter. If you take a completely dull (as in butter knife) and start honing with pressure, what kind of signs are you looking for to tell you that the bevel is coming together and you should lighten up on the pressure?

I noticed an increased drag or resistance on the hone and the sound changed also when I thought I was close. I got very grabby tpt and arm hair popping on parts of the edge, but then when I went to dial in the heel that was still lacking I managed to make the razor dull again by using lighter pressure. I dont understand? Black magic I guess ;)

If you are trying to get just the heel are you torquing the razor or are you "Rocking" the razor. With rocking the razor you have to be careful to rock the blade equally while moving it or sometimes you will end up dragging the edge along the corner of the hone which will take the edge down a step or two. Before I ever even attempted honing I did alot of reading and watched alot of videos. I wanted to have as much knowledge beforehand. I find that I am constantly learning every time I hone. Each razor has something different that it wants to teach me. Any razor that doesn't make full contact with the hone without having to torque the blade or "rock" it I imagine a line down the center of the hone and I put all pressure "if I'm using any" or the edge of the blade on the line. Really hard to explain what I mean. Sound like you are getting the hang of it so all I can say is keep at it.