Thread: Can anyone advise me

Hi
The spine on my razor isn't flat and is honing up irregularly, with the corresponding irregularity on the edge. I can shave OK with the razor but would like to get the edge more even. Is there a particular method for honing the spine to become even across the length of it?

Post a good picture of the issue if you can, that will help with diagnostics.
Without seeing the actual blade my advise would be to add a layer of tape and see how that will affect the edge.
To even the bevels you will have to correct the spine. Just hone till the spine is even and the edge evens out. This will work only if the blade is not ground wavy. Prepared to loose a bunch of steel .

You don't need tape. I shouldn't say this but if a hone is cutting into the spine of the razor. Sounds like you are using a sharpening stone or way to much pressure.

Like mainaman said pictures. I wrote in another post. Put a straight edge down each side of the spine and see if it makes contact the full length. If you see hollows I fill those with tape until no hollow then one piece of tape over all to give a flat edge. Now your new bevel should be even. The blade may be warped. Pictures will tell.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

You don't need tape. I shouldn't say this but if a hone is cutting into the spine of the razor. Sounds like you are using a sharpening stone or way to much pressure.

how do you know that?
When dealing with issues one should start with the least aggressive means and move towards more radical solutions if needed.
Taping the spine is the simplest way to go first. If there is no improvement in the edge, spine correction is in order.
If the blade is ground wavy then tape could help with better edge but it will not help with straight bevel, but so wouldn't a spine correction.
From the OP's description I suspect that the blade was ground incorrectly , pictures will give us a better idea.

Maybe I am misunderstanding something. A hone is not going to show irregular anything. Get an old hickory kitchen knife (carbon steel) from the hardware store and your best hone. Only your hone and sharpen the factory edge off. I salute if you can do it with just a barber hone.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

Maybe I am misunderstanding something. A hone is not going to show irregular anything. Get an old hickory kitchen knife (carbon steel) from the hardware store and your best hone. Only your hone and sharpen the factory edge off. I salute if you can do it with just a barber hone.

Tape is very useful to correct issues on razors from a bad grind to heavy or incorrect hone wear, and to prevent wear on new razors. A flat hone will show irregularities in edge and spine if there are any. Sometimes hard to see which is why a loupe is very handy. Not sure where the knife or barber hone fit in to the topic, but hope this helps.

N

Originally Posted by mainaman

how do you know that?
When dealing with issues one should start with the least aggressive means and move towards more radical solutions if needed.
Taping the spine is the simplest way to go first. If there is no improvement in the edge, spine correction is in order.
If the blade is ground wavy then tape could help with better edge but it will not help with straight bevel, but so wouldn't a spine correction.
From the OP's description I suspect that the blade was ground incorrectly , pictures will give us a better idea.

I've learned the hard way that what you do on the hones can't be undone. I agree 100%, the least radical option is where to start.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

You don't need tape. I shouldn't say this but if a hone is cutting into the spine of the razor. Sounds like you are using a sharpening stone or way to much pressure.

I'm not going to bother with the tape or no tape issue. That can be a matter of preference and choice of approach for how to deal with a spine issue. Clearly your opinion differs from Mainaman, and that's fine. We don't have to agree on everything.

It may simply be a matter of semantics, but a hone is a sharpening stone. It sharpens by removing steel, also called cutting steel. If tape is not used, then a hone will cut into the spine of the razor. To what degree is dependent on the skill of the honer in torqueing the blade, but there will be some wear, or cutting, on the spine.

There is absolutely no indication of what amount of pressure the OP is using.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

Maybe I am misunderstanding something. A hone is not going to show irregular anything.

I'm certainly misunderstanding something. I don't understand this statement. If a spine is warped, then honing will show wear in a characteristic manner that will be different (irregular) on both sides.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

Get an old hickory kitchen knife (carbon steel) from the hardware store and your best hone. Only your hone and sharpen the factory edge off.

We WERE talking about a razor before, so I have no idea what honing the knife will accomplish.

Originally Posted by AlienEdge

I salute if you can do it with just a barber hone.

Nobody mentioned a barber hone.

The hone will take off metal but really slow. It is not for sharpening it is to polish out some of the imperfections. The knife was to show how long and how hard it would be to sharp on such a fine grit. As for as the tape I don't see how tape will straighten out steel. If the spine is bent, crooked , or curved it stands to reason that the blade will follow the spine. The problem will be at the cutting edge as well. To me it is possible that the blade is warped to making it look kind of like a finger nail curve and putting tape on the forehead will not straighten out the finger nail. I maybe the I'm the goof here but I don't understand the tape and I don't sharpen with a hone.