Thread: Straight razor sharpening and my Edge Pro - Pic intensive

Can you explain this statement, please?

From the "vantage point" of some, this does appear to be a rube goldberg approach to honing a straight razor. So from that perspective, this is not "their cup of tea". This thread has gotten over 2680 views with a handful of replies from just a few of the same people. That tells me that there are many people interested in this discussion, if not this method. The bottom line is to hone, shave, and enjoy by whatever means each person finds most rewarding. Nothing else was intended. The negative feedback from the very small minority is what I find inexplicable.

Originally Posted by Berthold

Nothing else was intended. The negative feedback from the very small minority is what I find inexplicable.

I cannot speak to intentions of anyone, but I think it's common nature for people to question a new method that is both complicated and expensive, particularly when it reportedly required multiple trials to gain success.

If that reaction is negative, I apologize.

I realize that the OP already had the equipment and knows how to hone conventionally. I also believe that this foray into honing with the EP is simply an exercise he finds to be an interesting opportunity to learn and create DIY tools to produce results.

That is all just dandy. I commend him for it, just as I commend anyone searching for a better way. But as with most inventors, there will be scoffing and doubting.

If explanation is what you seek, ponder those concepts.

Look at the world's willingness to embrace "new" ideas. Check out the first horseless carriage, then fast forward to modern vehicles including electric cars (not new BTW).

It's simply human psychology...and sometimes the behavior is reinforced by new ideas being nothing more than a more expensive overly complicated solution to a problem that people had to be convinced that they had. It is these instances that people tend to remember, and perhaps this is why they do not embrace other non-conventional methods?

+1 to everything Unit has said above.

Bob

......an interesting opportunity to learn and create DIY tools to produce results. That is all just dandy. I commend him for it, just as I commend anyone searching for a better way. ponder those concepts. Check out the first horseless carriage, then fast forward to modern vehicles including electric cars.

I would not encourage anyone to go out and buy and Edge Pro for the sole purpose of honing straight razors.

But, if you already own one, along with the tapes that most EP users have, I would promote its use as an

option to those "searching for a better way" as you stated. Most of the tools related to the EP are not DIY

items. They are dandy items one can buy and have fun with.

I disagree that, like the horseless carriage, the traditional honing methods will give way to modern methods, as

you mentioned. If that were true, the use of the straight razor would be obsolete. Things for you to ponder.

As I mentioned before, I've owned an EP for about three or four years, and I absolutely love it for sharpening knives.

Any notion that it creates a better edge on a razor than traditional honing is incorrect, IME.

The advantage to using the EP is that it does a really great job of getting the bevel angle even and consistent.
Since razors are designed to do this anyway, there is no advantage to using the armature. In fact, IMO, it becomes a disadvantage because it's easy to use too much pressure, and as you guys are finding out, repeating the bevel angle is tricky.

The solution, of course, is to use the razor's geometry to it's full advantage - use it as it's designed to be used.


If all I had was my EP, and I wanted to use it for razors, this is how I'd do it:
(when I said above that IMO you're using it backwards, perhaps more appropriate would have been to say that IMO you're using it upside down)

Neat fixture you've made for honing razors on the gizmo Eric. I don't have an edge pro and don't see myself going for the $ since I'm doing alright with my beloved rocks ...... with my razors that is. As far as knives, it would probably be beneficial for me to have that system for my knives, and if it wasn't so expensive I would, but after 50 years of getting by with honing them on Arkansas stones, I'll call that good enough.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Neat fixture you've made for honing razors on the gizmo Eric. I don't have an edge pro and don't see myself going for the $ since I'm doing alright with my beloved rocks ...... with my razors that is. As far as knives, it would probably be beneficial for me to have that system for my knives, and if it wasn't so expensive I would, but after 50 years of getting by with honing them on Arkansas stones, I'll call that good enough.

Absolutely agree. If you have it figured out and are content, that is what it's all about. Smooth shaves with a straight. Can we agree on that? Please, let's do.

Originally Posted by Berthold

Absolutely agree. If you have it figured out and are content, that is what it's all about. Smooth shaves with a straight. Can we agree on that? Please, let's do.

I can't disagree with someone who agrees with me to begin with .....

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I can't disagree with someone who agrees with me to begin with .....

Very good sir. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Berthold

Well, you've raised the bar once again. I decided to take the challenge and have some fun, so I bought an angle cube and put it to the test. As expected, the added precision of an absolutely consistent angle proves itself in sharper blades that shave even smoother than using the stop collar. The stop collar was an essential step, in retrospect, but this takes it to the n'th degree. Again, this desire for precision and the best shave possible from a straight razor is not everyone's cup of tea, but I am sticking with this method and having fun in the process.

I just noticed that you are in WA, we have two Meets/Get Togethers each year up this way in the PNW, one in Yakima usually in the Spring and one in Spokane usually in the Fall I would love if you could make it to either or both so we could see this in action in person...

When you say honing in the Nth degree that is what I like to test

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...th-degree.html


hope to see you there