Recently saw an article on ehow on how to sharpen a straight razor using the Lansky system. Anyone ever try this?
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Recently saw an article on ehow on how to sharpen a straight razor using the Lansky system. Anyone ever try this?
I think it is pointless and errorprone.
A razors edge is extremely fragile. If you upset the bevel angle from the natural spine - edge angle, you are going to ruin the bevels. It also seems hard to make 100% sure you have the same bevel angle on both sides. The razor will be less sharp because of the bigger honing angle. And I doubt the stones you get with it are fine enough for a razors edge.
In other words, I think it is completely pointless because a razor already HAS the means to insure a proper honing angle (the spine :)) and you're just going to destroy a perfectly good razor.
I have the lansky diamond system and it's worthless for a straight. It's way too coarse.
Well, I have the basic Lansky 4 rod turnbox... (costs 15 bucks or so), and I say otherwise. It works for me. I had an inexpensive straight razor, that was shave ready... but it got a bit dull after using it for a while.
So... why not try something. (stupid?)
Out came the Lansky 4 rod turnbox, popped in the metal rod & ceramic rod. (one each)... and I used very light controlled strokes. First on the dark rod, then a few strokes on the white one. I tried to keep the rods a bit wet. As you may know this particular system has two angles for normal knife sharpening... 20 and 25 degrees. That doesn't matter for this purpose. It only mattered that the rods were being held by the block. I wished I had one of those clamp thingies (don't know the name) to hold it perfectly vertical. Alas I don't.
I placed first the spine against the top of the rod, then carefully lowering the blade flush onto the rod. Just like normal honing with the spine flat as fixed angle guidance. Then I used even, very light pressure... stroking down, like you would sharpening a knife on this Lansky system. But as said, nothing to do with the 20 % / 25 % angle... just keep the spine on the rod. Rinse and Repeat, on alternative sides of the blade.
While doing so, I monitor the sharpness... (armhair) till satisfied. Then... some final very light strokes on a simple natural honing stone... some stropping and done. It works for me. I know, I know.. now I will get all kinds of comments that this is a stupid thing to do, it probably is... but then again. It works.
For me.
Its very simple, inexpensive and fast to do. (its not for bevel setting) Use at your own risk, and don't waste an expensive razor messing things up. I am not saying it will be ultra, fancy pansy sharp... but sharp enough to have a comfortable shave.
Just from what I read you could have skipped the system thingy and went right to the finisher ?
I tried that, but couldn't get it that sharp if I skipped the system thingy. Basically I felt, for me, that it was easier to get it sharp by using the rods (especially the dark one) and then finalizing it on the stone with a few, light strokes.
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Originally Posted by Kalecommando
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Originally Posted by Kalecommando
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Originally Posted by Kalecommando
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Originally Posted by Kalecommando
Reading your posts from the last week or so, you are all over the place..
You started with a non-proved razor that cost you more then a Shave Ready proven Dovo, you say it is a great shaver yet you are having to hone it a few times already, you are using all different honing techniques...
This is exactly why we recommend certain systems and certain proved razors to newbs once you have everything nailed down you can expand into experimentation to see what happens....
I quoted many of your posts from many different threads so perhaps if they were all in one spot it would be easier to see what I am talking about and perhaps it will help you out
Thanks for the last reply, the post starting with "I bought a 3000/8000 combo and one rougher stone for bevel setting.
I followed the videos (lynn etc)... seems I can not get it sharp when honing with the spine (one layer of tape) flat on the stone."
... was related to a very crappy, not shave ready razor... that didn't have (most likely) a proper bevel set, and was just plain worthless 'razor'. Nomatter what I tried, it didn't get sharp. I read that really crappy razors will not get sharp nomatter what.
The last post in this tread was related to newer razor, that came shave ready. But, I always get an itchy feeling and have to mess with things, to experiment... so after a while I tried to get it sharper (perhaps I imagined it was not sharp enough) and this latest method I tried worked. (for me) :)
I have used the Lansky system, and made a shave ready razor from it. two things I did that I think made the difference was 1) built a holder from a 3/8 bolt and block of wood. 2) when you set the razor you have to block the blade so that the razor is level to the stone(the stone rides against the spine and the edge.) It worked for me, and was the easiest way for the blade I was sharpening. I think it can be done, you just have to tinker with it a little.
Just a question..but in your admittal to being a newb, have you ever had a razor that was honed by someone who knows what shave ready truly is? If not, then I'd truly question your reasons for trying to improve something that you originally think is shave ready just because you have an "itchy feeling" :shrug:Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalecommando
Just got the feeling that it could be made sharper. Just trying things out. For fun.
Fair enough...always good to have a proven reference point thoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Kalecommando
All of the knife sharpening systems are designed to solve one of the biggest problems with sharpening knives: maintaining a consistent angle.
When sharpening a razor, the razor itself is designed to get the angle correct. The razor eliminates the need for any type of guide.
The utility of a sharpening system for razors, then, is how useful the stones are for polishing a razor's edge. This is a matter of being large enough to keep the razor flat on the stone and of a grit appropriate to razors.
I'm not sure if the Lansky systems have different sizes of stones, or how high they go in grit; the system I used to have had stones that would be too small for razors and in grits too coarse. The finest stone in that kit may have been useful as a bevel setter, had it been big enough for razors. As small as it was, it would have been good for making uneven and frowning bevels.
I make knives & have made a few razors. I hone razors and sharpen knives. I use the spine on razors & use a Smith (lansky knock off) sharpening system on my custom knives for an uniform bevel.
What's my point? Knife sharpening systems are for knives & work great just as HSNB pointed out...razors have their system built in. Try as much as you wish with those knife sharpening systems on razors...any veteran honer will be able to put a better shaving edge on a razor than any sharpening system. It's been proven time and time again...
I have the Lansky system, and I like it. I use it strictly for knives, and would not dream of bringing my razors to it, for the reasons mentioned above by HNSBQuote:
Originally Posted by HNSB
I'll never be able to figure out why guys try and engineer some Rube Goldberg system to do something when we have a very simple way that does the job 100%.
I have been thinking the same for some time now but hesitated to express the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
There is sooooo much information here to help those that want to learn the proper way
To each his own I guess?
I'd say to think outside the as much as possible just as long you learn the the inside of the box first. Gives u better perspective I think. Just an opinion.
Razor hones are for straight razors and knife sharpening systems are for knives.
I use the Gatco system for my knives as the stones are wider and I feel I have more control than when I use the Lansky system.
Just my humble opinion, for what it's worth.
tinkersd
Waste of time. Get a Norton 1000 and a combo 4k/8k and you are set.
For knives I use a 1 x 30 belt sander with 600, 800, and 1000 grit belts followed by a leather belt strop on the belt sander.
Sharpest knives I have ever used.
How can a system that is supposed to make sure every hone stroke is the same as the last, by using a jig, be more exact than a spine that is engineered to deliver the exact angle the maker wanted when the razor was manufactured? I have the Lansky system and it is barely able to put a proper edge on a knife.
Later,
Richard
I'm finding it interesting that so many people with so many stones still use a Lansky or other 'system' to sharpen their knives. Freehand sharpening with the stones you already have seems more logical to me. My opinion may be biased as I was sharpening knives way before getting into SR shaving. It just made the transition easier as I already had the lower grit stones :) Just an observation, no disrespect intended :)
Chris
For my personal knives, I still freehand (mostly) to about 1K (remember, that's where we start with razors). I use the "system" for knives that I have made for customers so that they have a uniform bevel & no chance of a slip that requires me to sand and buff. It just looks more professional that way.
After reading all of this, I dug out my old Lansky and compared the sharpening of a cheap swiss army knife. The results from freehand were sharper and IMO uniform but damn was it easy on the lansky!! I may have to keep it out for small pocket knives :)
Chris
Honing is a art. It takes time and still there is new things to learn. New stones and Techniques. I wouldn't dream of using any machine or device on my razors.
I'm in it for the skills and I want to learn :-)
Whatever works, guys.
Well, that, and whatever you enjoy also;)
I have my opinions, but...whatever works for you is what you should use until you discover something that works better.