Uneven Pressure

I am on the learning curve with honing. I have a chosera 1K, that I soak for 30 min per the manuf recommendations and then lap it with a DMT 325. I am working on two fully hollow razors and I am getting an uneven bevel with both of them. One side is consistently more bevelled in the center. They cannot both be warped and so I am very suspicious that I am using uneven pressure. Oh, and they were originally pro honed and looked and performed perfectly.

What is the best advice you can give me to keep even pressure? How much pressure should I use on the 1K?

Honing is more difficult than it looks in the videos...This is my Christmas Break project to get this right.

I always go from heavy-ish pressure to very light pressure at each stage or stone. That's me but are you using one or two hands when honing?

In other words - are you holding the scales with one hand and using a finger or two with your other hand to keep it flat?

Two hands. Trying to keep the tip side light. Obviously, something isn't working my way, however. Is one handed more likely to result in even pressure?

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Originally Posted by HarryA

Two hands. Trying to keep the tip side light. Obviously, something isn't working my way, however. Is one handed more likely to result in even pressure?

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Oh I don't "really" know lol! But I really do think one hand only helps!

I just look at what Glen and Lynn do and try my best to listen and learn lol. Glen is a big fan of using one hand. And I know for a fact when I put that other hand in there I am asking for an uneven hone - I actually do it on purpose now, especially when I am not "hitting" an area or two.

Go over to youtube and look up gssixgun.

This one might really help with your issue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxrs5kFkmJg

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What is the best advice you can give me to keep even pressure? How much pressure should I use on the 1K?

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My best advice is not to use pressure. How much pressure: Only enough to keep the blade flat on the hone. Which seems to equate to pressure of the blade weight, for me.

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Is one handed more likely to result in even pressure?

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No. Lots and lots, and lots of practice, are more likely to result in even pressure.

First, Let me say that almost all of my blades are honed from really bad to non-existent edges. The usual 'bay and anti-q store types.
I had that one sided trouble also with the bevel side going away having the wider bevel.
I now just raise the near end (towards me)of the low grit hones a few degrees above the other end~ ¼" or so. Some folks have a built in " Don't cut toward yourself! " bias.
I think that it is a normal part of the learning process to be a bit more focused upon one stroke or another.
Practice is what does the work...If the practice is correct! There is no really WRONG way to hone..but...some ways work a whole lot better than others to give a good edge!!
Have fun!
~Richard

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Originally Posted by HarryA

They cannot both be warped and so I am very suspicious that I am using uneven pressure. Oh, and they were originally pro honed and looked and performed perfectly.

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Actually, they could both be warped or unevenly ground but if you find the same problem on a lot of razors then it's your honing.

A slightly heel forward stroke could help too

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Originally Posted by HarryA

. . . I am working on two fully hollow razors and I am getting an uneven bevel with both of them. One side is consistently more bevelled in the center. They cannot both be warped and so I am very suspicious that I am using uneven pressure. Oh, and they were originally pro honed and looked and performed perfectly.

What is the best advice you can give me to keep even pressure? How much pressure should I use on the 1K?

Honing is more difficult than it looks in the videos...This is my Christmas Break project to get this right.

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Oh yes, it is !

A bevel that's wider in the center, and thinner at the ends, is often caused by a warped blade. Warped blades are _common_. Both your razors could be warped.

It could also be caused by a blade that's ground a little thicker in the center, and thinner at the ends. That's also a common problem.

The warp doesn't affect the shaving quality of the blade. And an experienced honer can easily handle the problem (if it's bad enough to be a problem).

If the hone is flat (recently lapped),

.. . and the edge touches the hone for its whole length,

simply ignore the uneven bevel width. It won't matter.

It is _possible_ to take a warped razor, and hone it so that the bevel width is even from heel to toe. But it's not easy, and there's no reason to do it if the edge sits flat on the hone.

. Charles

Try grabbing yourself a magic marker (sharpie, whatever you call them) and paint the sides of the edge with it. Then do your normal honing stroke. Take a look at how the marker has worn off. This will at least tell you if you are hitting the whole edge.

I'm kinda pushing this whole "visualisation" thing atm, but it really works for me: visualise your razor making a "U" shape in the air above the hone - two-handed is fine. The hone will be sitting at the bottom of the "U", and that is where you should try to make the edge contact with it. Starting with the heel, moving along to the centre, then to the toe - the entire process makes a shallow U shape in the vertical plane as the blade moves up and down the horizontal plane. Heel forward is a useful thing too.

Circles could help you also. Or the short strokes, or Japanese strokes (or whatever they call them) - kind of like a sawing motion back and forth as you move up and down the hone.

Good luck.

James.

OK, so I grabbed a previously unhoned American 5/8 full hollow razor that I picked up at an auction. If I can't hone this type of razor I might as well hang it up. Things are looking up.

Took all the advice and watched Glen's video above as well as the English fellow Liam Razor Sharpening - YouTube . I like the way he keeps his razor on the stone and does this loop after each flip over. Kept my arm level with the hone, taped only above the blade, changed tape after bevel set and prior to last finisher, tried to keep the pressure even. Started with my Chosera 1K (soaked and lapped), moved up through a series of naturals each with a slurry and then did about 40 strops on linen and then 50 on leather.

So, the results are that things are getting much better. I am still not completely even on the bevel, but it isn't as pronounced. I tried to correct any uneven areas on the 1K before i moved on. My heels are not getting enough and one side is a bit heavy, but not as bad as before. I did try the heel forward adice and that helped some. I think that it is easy for the heel to fall off the stone too soon and get neglected.

After stropping, the entire length of the bevel met the HHT, which is a first for me :) Was testing it on my thumb throughout the process, but not exactly sure what to feel. Shaved like a champ. Now i will go back and work on my taller blades.

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Originally Posted by HarryA

OK, so I grabbed a previously unhoned American 5/8 full hollow razor that I picked up at an auction. If I can't hone this type of razor I might as well hang it up. Things are looking up.

. . . Shaved like a champ. Now i will go back and work on my taller blades.

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That's all that matters. Congratulations!

. Charles

I have Arthritis in my shoulders and and wrists and hands Osteo by name.
I do many a time use both hands to keep the razor evenly on the stone, sometimes I go one handed, but then my joints get tired and I have to go 2 handed, very very light pressure, works the same both ways for me, YMMV.

tinkersd

To Tinkersd. What you may want to try are Crafting Gloves. Usually sold in the sewing and quilting section of stores. They're designed to be used for work requiring repetitive movements.

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Originally Posted by HarryA

I like the way he keeps his razor on the stone and does this loop after each flip over. .

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Those are called "pigtail strokes" :)

Thank you I'll try to find a pair, probably would help!

There are lot's of factors involved. Not just your honing, but the condition of the blade. You'll find many blades are far from perfect. The difference is experience. An experienced honer can make up for it.

You can most definitely add some pressure while honing to a shallow spot in your bevel. If one side of the bevel is not existent, and the other side very pronounced, you can add strokes to non existent side. Glen shows this in one of his videos.

Honestly, your talking cosmetics most of the time. The shave is what matter's most. If your getting good shaves, I wouldn't worry too much about the bevel not being perfect.