Thread: 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

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.