Thread: First straight razor, Ralf Aust or Revisor

Tom: So I have been honing quite a few razors now and have my system down but I want to get a smoother edge what should I do.

SRP: Well Tom what are you using now and how are you using them

Tom: Well I set my bevels on a 1k grit Platen grinder and I just slightly lift the edge so I don't damage the beautiful spine work on the razors, then I move to either a Coticule with slurry or my Grey Hone to finish.. Then strop on a bench strop.. I like to keep things simple

SRP: Well I have heard on some people doing it that way, but you have to understand that you are actually setting a "Pre-Bevel" then moving almost straight to finishing.. How often do you dress the Platen stone ?
Also you do understand that you are essentially "Back Honing" this pre-bevel which creates a near serrated condition on the edge that is going to have to be removed.. Standard push strokes using an X pattern on a 1k Hone or using heavy slurry with your Coticule can achieve this.. But you will need to get to a nice EVEN smooth bevel set point before you are going to get a really smooth edge..
You are actually making this harder because you have introduced two separate angles from lifting the spine, that is actually going to need to be honed out anyway or the very edge of the razors will be rather rough...

Tom: Well my razors are sharp enough to shave, and many people like them.

SRP: Sharp and Smooth are actually two aspects of honing a SR they are interconnected as a Smooth edge does have to be Sharp.. But are separate because a Sharp edge might not be Smooth again think about a Serrated knife edge "Very sharp but you wouldn't want to shave with it"..
That ragged edge you are creating by back-honing the pre-bevel on a Platen and using a higher angle doing it has to be gently honed out and evened up.. You are going to be hard pressed to do that by simply using some slurry on a Coticule and calling it good.. What angle are you using when on the Coticule ??

Tom: This is way to complicated you guys are crazy I don't have time to do all that



And so it goes

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Tom: So I have been honing quite a few razors now and have my system down but I want to get a smoother edge what should I do.

SRP: Well Tom what are you using now and how are you using them

Tom: Well I set my bevels on a 1k grit Platen grinder and I just slightly lift the edge so I don't damage the beautiful spine work on the razors, then I move to either a Coticule with slurry or my Grey Hone to finish.. Then strop on a bench strop.. I like to keep things simple

SRP: Well I have heard on some people doing it that way, but you have to understand that you are actually setting a "Pre-Bevel" then moving almost straight to finishing.. How often do you dress the Platen stone ?
Also you do understand that you are essentially "Back Honing" this pre-bevel which creates a near serrated condition on the edge that is going to have to be removed.. Standard push strokes using an X pattern on a 1k Hone or using heavy slurry with your Coticule can achieve this.. But you will need to get to a nice EVEN smooth bevel set point before you are going to get a really smooth edge..
You are actually making this harder because you have introduced two separate angles from lifting the spine, that is actually going to need to be honed out anyway or the very edge of the razors will be rather rough...

Tom: Well my razors are sharp enough to shave, and many people like them.

SRP: Sharp and Smooth are actually two aspects of honing a SR they are interconnected as a Smooth edge does have to be Sharp.. But are separate because a Sharp edge might not be Smooth again think about a Serrated knife edge "Very sharp but you wouldn't want to shave with it"..
That ragged edge you are creating by back-honing the pre-bevel on a Platen and using a higher angle doing it has to be gently honed out and evened up.. You are going to be hard pressed to do that by simply using some slurry on a Coticule and calling it good.. What angle are you using when on the Coticule ??

Tom: This is way to complicated you guys are crazy I don't have time to do all that



And so it goes

Gee, Glen......I wish you would not post our personal conversations!
Regards,
Tom