Thread: What's the deal with honing a stainless blade?

I was given a Dovo Inox as a gift.
The person who gave it to me told me they couldn't do anything with it. OK...a challenge.
I started with my vintage Coti, which yielded nothing.
I then tried my DMT 1000...still nothing.
I moved on to my Naniwa SS 1000...nothing...nada...zilch. Won't even shave arm hair.
Is there a trick to sharpening stainless?
I would appreciate any help.
Thanks.

First I'd say examine the blade and make sure the bevel is good and it is not warped or have any other problems. Assuming all is well there is no secret to stainless. Sometimes it takes a few more passes but personally I've had way more issues with some Carbon Steel razors than any stainless ones. I do have a stainless Dovo and it hones up pretty straight forward.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

First I'd say examine the blade and make sure the bevel is good and it is not warped or have any other problems. Assuming all is well there is no secret to stainless. Sometimes it takes a few more passes but personally I've had way more issues with some Carbon Steel razors than any stainless ones. I do have a stainless Dovo and it hones up pretty straight forward.

I guess that's about all it could be. I've rarely had an issue with carbon, but this is my first stainless so I can't complain about the material...yet.
If the bevel is warped, is it trash?

It's probably not trash, even if it's got a slight warp. It may not be warped, though. Try the magic-marker test and see if you're actually making contact between the hone and the edge of the edge. Many razors of uncertain provenance turn out to have bevels with shoulders, so you may actually be honing further back on the blade than the edge.

May be it's not a real razor, but a piece of soft steel shaped to resemble one.

Originally Posted by gugi

May be it's not a real razor, but a piece of soft steel shaped to resemble one.

Well, the steel isn't that soft.

Generally (very generally) stainless is hardened a bit more than carbon. If it feels softer than the carbon steel you have honed, there might be a problem...but it's practically impossible to really gauge hardness (vs wear resistance) without the proper equipment.

Generally I find nothing different about the process of honing SS other than some will require more strokes to get there. Some report stubborn burrs, but I have not experienced anything that was worse (or better) than burrs on carbon.

One layer of tape on the spine will save unnecessary wear on the honing flats in case you aren't using tape. Anyway, stainless steel is more 'abrasion resistant' than high carbon. Whatever the hardness the blade was tempered at can also effect the that resistance.

If the blade is ground askew, slightly warped, it is not unusual. These things are man made and not always with 100% precision. This is why the rolling X (look in the SRP library/wiki) or circles, hitting the heel to mid center , mid center to point, if the blade won't lay flat on the hone, are useful IME. That may be an advanced procedure depending on experience and/or how 'handy' you are.

Take a Sharpie and mark the bevel from point to heel. Do a stroke or two on both sides and see how much of the ink is removed. This will let you know if the stroke you are using is working to hit the whole bevel. If it is not, mark the bevel and try again, until you find the stroke that does work. Then it is just a matter of patience and persistence. An eye loupe or microscope is very useful in all of this.

I have two Dovo Inox and they are top-notch shavers. Better than most of my carbons.

I think its the particular razor and not the type of steel.