Thread: I need help re-establishing an edge

Ok guys here's the deal; I am finally the proud owner of a complete set of shaving equipment thanks to the recent addition of a real strop and a complete Norton's whetstone set (in the form of a 220/1000 and a 4K/8K) and here's some things I've learned in the past couple of days since I got them.

First off, a good set of stones and a good strop make a BIG difference. I wish I had been able to acquire them sooner.

Secondly, I got RIDICULOUSLY lucky with my first razor purchase. I bought a Henckel 5/8 on eBay to get me started in all this with nothing but a scrap of canvas and a Spyderco Sharpmaker to hone it. The LUCK comes in here, because with this pathetic excuse for equipment I managed to get the razor sharp enough that I shaved with it LITERALLY for over a year quite happily (though I'm very aware that by your standards I was enjoying a sub-par shave). If it hadn't been for that stroke of luck I probably would have abandoned this idea and written you all off as wackos permanently.

Since then I have acquired a pair of new razors, one a heavy Thistle Cut Co that has apparently been passed down to 4, possibly 5, generations of my family, and a 4/8 Prior that purportedly dates back to somewhere around the 20s. Unfortunately in all this time I have never been able to shave with the Thistle, and the prior was a stocking stuffer this year at Xmas and it falls into basically the same boat.

I've now experimented a little with the pyramid honing technique and have improved my Henckel a lot (though I have lots to learn still) but the other two are causing me a LOT of trouble. When I hone them, instead of a long shiny line along the edge of the blade like my Henckel has (though there's a spot out toward the toe that suffers from what I'm about to describe a little) I get two different reactions.

First the Prior since it's probably the least troublesome. When I hone on the Prior instead of a long end to end shiny line, I get a shiny line starting from the heel and running a little less than halfway to the toe where it disappears. I suspect it's because the measure from spine to edge is slightly wider at the heel than at the toe causing the the razor to lose contact around the midpoint of the edge.

The Thistle (which holds sentimental value obviously) is an even bigger version of the problem. Instead of half an edge like the Prior after honing on it a bit I get a shiny line in the center but not on the heel OR toe but only on ONE SIDE. The other side is the exact opposite with a shiny heel and toe and a dead center. Also on each side the part that is shiny is what I would consider a MUCH longer bevel than seems proper meaning that the measurement from the edge to the end of the bevel as you travel towards the spine is closing in on 1/8".

Sorry for the book but I wanted to make sure I got all the proper information in the post but to sum up my question is this. Are my theories about the cause of such issues correct, and if so how do I fix them? Are my assumptions wrong, and if so how do I correct them? And is there another pyramid like technique using coarser grits like the 220/1000 to reestablish my bevel and edge or are these razors to be written off and put in a shadow box?

Your theories may indeed be correct. Keep in mind that a tactile approach, like with the Hanging Hair Test or the Thumb(pad) Test are more ideal indicators of when to move on to the Shave Test, but ...

Try the Rolling Hone method. As you progress along the honing stroke, radually and gently roll the main point of contact that the razor has with the stone from heel evenly up along the edge to the tip. This should ensure you hone all parts of the blade. Watch carefully how the blade contyacts the stone throughout the stroke and try to feel for inconsistencies.

Do some cirles on the lower grits to establish a bevel where on is vastly substandard.

X

The thistle is bent. Lay it flat on some flat surface (like a hone) and hold it up to the light - This should show the problem clearly. The Prior may be bent, or it may be just a worn spine or maybe it needs some time on the 4k to build a proper bevel along the entire blade.

I believe you are both correct, the Thistle appears to be bent/warped. I'm not sure about the Prior I think the edge has been ground closer to the spine at one end than the other causing the geometries not to work for the entire edge.

If there a way to correct the issues with the Thistle like a trick for un-warping things or am I better off just putting it away? I'm half tempted to do a few aggressive pyramids on it to see if I can get it to cooperate but I'm starting to doubt its ability to come back to a shaver at all. On the one hand at least I didn't send it off to Lynn and blow $20 to find out it's worthless...I had contemplated that several times since I got it but didn't have the money.

The Thistle, depending on the degree of warpage, might be honable. Try using a 45 degree angle on the hone and or use a narrow hone, like 1-1.25 inches wide if you can find one. The side of a 1" thick hone will work. Put some magic marker on the edge before you start honing so you can see where contact is being made.

Also try Xman's approach.