Thread: Anyone else having problems sharpening Filarmonicas?

I recently purchased a Filarmonica Doble Temple 7/8, and I can't seem to get it sharp. It's my second razor. I have a Norton 4000/8000, which I used on my first razor. My first razor is excellent. Any advice?

More work on the 4k. My Filly honed up just fine.

Yep, that's what I hear from many who got the edition from Classic.

My came NOS a bit older and only needed final polishing

Keep at it - but not one long carnival. Several smaller sessions. Much work on the 4K might show up on the blade. Have you considered having Lynn hone it - I hear he uses much less strokes on 4K as he's able to get more out of them than, say, I am. Or maybe you can work the pyramids (I don't use them much lately but in your case this might be very good)

Good luck
Ivo

Classic Shaving's Filarmonica Doble Temple 7/8 was one of my first razors, and I had great difficulty getting it honed up properly. I wound up sending it to Lynn for service. He got it shaving very well (good thing because it would have been sold otherwise!).

I haven't been working too hard on mine recently, but at the last session it did improve. By thinking of the steel as harder than usual and spending a little more time with the 8k it clearly got a step closer to shave ready. there was some talk about the bevels not being properly set on these and initial work on the 4k being a particular benefit as well.

X

Masher, have a look at this thread from a few weeks ago. You're not alone in having some difficulty with the newer-model CS Filly. Firestart has a vintage one, along with Izlat and I. Lucky us. But don't despair – I think the verdict was that the quality on the newer ones is great, it's just that the steel is hard and the factory bevel isn't right, so you've got to do quite a bit on the 4K before it'll sharpen up nice on the higher grits.

Or you send it to Lynn or Joe Chandler or somebody.

Good luck.

Mine's a NOS piece but it looked brand new when I got it.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Mine's a NOS piece but it looked brand new when I got it.

I got a 14 from the same ebay lot as your 12, and it was fifteen passes on a coticule away from shave-ready.

The 13s from Classic Shaving are a different generation Filly, and it seems like just about everyone who's bought one has found the initial honing to be something of a challenge.

Mine took a bit more work than that including a good amount of Norton lovin' and finishing up on the 0.5. I guess you lucked out.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Mine took a bit more work than that including a good amount of Norton lovin' and finishing up on the 0.5. I guess you lucked out.

Being no great shakes at honing I was probably just satisfied with less.

But there are some experienced guys here – jmsbcknr, Puffah, and X – who've encountered more serious challenges from the newer 13s.