Ruined my first razor.

I could not grind off the high spot on the heel of the spine it was riding the tang and scraping on the stones edge. I needed a dremel and a lower grit stone. I got frustrated tired and sloppy from the 1000 girt being so laborious and messed it up. Took too much metal off the toe trying to switch up my approach. I failed by deviating from what I knew needed to be done, having the right tools and patience was essential and I failed on that also. 5 hours of honing later got a few tiny insignificant cuts and feel like I learned some valuable lessons that will make my next projects more successful. I am now in the market for a dremel, 220 grit and 400 grit stone XD Its going to be a long road ahead but man does time fly when your honing. Going to start trying to fix gold dollars instead of ruining vintage razors that were abused and too complex for my skill level to fix. Now the next order of business is to somehow get more money to buy all of this stuff! :D

Thanks to everybody who gave me advice you were right and gave me the winning plan to fix it but ultimately I lacked the tools and patience to execute it.

Look forward to getting chewed up about ruining the razor jkjkk =]
EDIT* Big thanks to Shaun for being so generous with his advice and guidance! Thank you Shaun!

-Brandon

To error is human. Its weather you learn from your mistakes.

I destroyed my very first razor, in attempt to restore it to a like new appearance. Sanded so much the blade was like foil.

I was directed to this forum, to learn the proper way to restore razors. I got more help than anticipated, way more.

In return I did what I could, by helping others.
We call it....paying it forward. Soon after I was contacted and asked if I'd like to become a mentor for my area, I'm still here and continuously helping when I can

Don't worry about that razor, there's plenty more to learn from. Its still early in the game for you.

I have two vintage razors with cracks I put into them by honing with too much pressure. Like you, I lost patience and tried to short cut my way to fixing the edge by using brute force. Seldom works.

On the good side, I’m planning out the process for turning them into shorties. They’ll still be vintage and they will be in my rotation, they’ll just be somewhat shorter than their brothers and sisters.

You have a positive attitude and clear-eyed reflection on your own work that will stand you in good stead for your journey into restoring razors. Keep at it.

Working over worn razors is possible.
However, keep in mind that they will never regain their original geometry.

If it seems like you are trying to make a fine razor from 1/2 of the original, that is it.
Honing a chunk of steel.

Much better to search out nice examples to learn with.
One razor with the proper shape and condition is worth 10 honed-out clunkers any day. JMHO

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Working over worn razors is possible.
However, keep in mind that they will never regain their original geometry.

If it seems like you are trying to make a fine razor from 1/2 of the original, that is it.
Honing a chunk of steel.

Much better to search out nice examples to learn with.
One razor with the proper shape and condition is worth 10 honed-out clunkers any day. JMHO

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The razor had hone ware in the completely wrong place to begin with.... it was ruined when I received the razor in my opinion, but hey at least i tried. The gentleman who sold it to me gave me my money back because it didn't come shave ready and he said to keep it so it's not that big of a deal. I had a lot of fun failing on this razor! I LOVE RAZORS so much, had a blast with my new stones honestly. I want more blades in bulk! gold dollars rusty ebay blades with no scales, bring it on. Lets hope I can get them cheap! :)

Thank you for your kind words of consolation fellas! I feel I am at home with my new found passion and hobby!

You need to realize that not everyone honed their razors. Some pasted a strop and beat on them for years.
That irregular wide, and rounded bevel is a sure sign. Hard to fix them. Some may be through the temper as well.
Fun to attempt, no doubt. We need easy success on occasion with which to shave the face, though! :D

Ambition is a good thing...well bridled. I too, like others have mentioned, was more ambitious than my skills allowed and ruined a blade or two. Learn as much as you can and those outcomes will diminish.

A long time ago someone said something like great restorations start at the purchase.
A great candidate for restoration makes for a great restoration.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RezDog

A long time ago someone said something like great restorations start at the purchase.
A great candidate for restoration makes for a great restoration.

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Definitly did not know what I was doing when i bought that first one. And still don't, but i know to look for excessive hone ware now..

I have found that both honing and restoring razors is a continual learning experience. We learn from our mistakes and are better for it. Taking an old unloved razor and giving it new life is very rewarding. This is a wonderful hobby for sure. Remember, there is always someone here happy to pass on their knowledge and experience when needed. Have fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tathra11

I have found that both honing and restoring razors is a continual learning experience. We learn from our mistakes and are better for it. Taking an old unloved razor and giving it new life is very rewarding. This is a wonderful hobby for sure. Remember, there is always someone here happy to pass on their knowledge and experience when needed. Have fun.

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Thanks very much!

If you have any antique stores around you, that's a good place to look for razors every so often.

Leave your name and number with someone at the counter, with what your interested in. If something comes in, they'll contact you.

I've bought hundreds of razors for $20 or less. Flea market's are other good places for hunting, too. Don't forget to ask the guy selling the cheap, Chinese knives. He might have a few under his table. Even found a seven day set at a yard sale, once.

All kinds of avenue's for collecting on the cheap, for the purpose of learning to restore and build your collection.

Then you'll have to come up with a storage solution for all your razors.

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yondermountain91

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

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Totally agree. In fact, the lowest grit stone I own is a 320 Atoma diamond that I use as a nagura and to reshape badly chipped blades and any that require stabilizer adjustment. For setting a bevel, I seldom go below my Sharpton 1500.

I have a 1k Chosera and if i want a bit more muscle than even the brown slurry beast, I find my 1K Norton to be about all i need for now.

As you can see CleanShaven a 220/320 grit really isn't necessary at all. My progression is Atoma 600, Shapton 1500, 5000, 8000. Then to a finisher, most likely a Jnat in my case. It should be noted that for my everyday razors that are maintained, I seldom go below my 5k stone, as I feel It does any correction needed at that level. However it could be debated that going lower to your bevel setter is beneficial, instead of 5k. The point I'm trying to make here is that in very rare cases do I go below 1.5k for razors.
-Laramie-

One thing not mentioned so far is if you are honing or trying to hone dont spend more than an hour on the same blade. Put it down and try again another day. Spending excessive time on one razor can make you do things you shouldn't. So pick up a different razor if you want to keep honing. It will help you keep your head and thoughts in a better place.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yondermountain91

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

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Upon introspective reflection I remembered this and will take your advice and just get a 600 grit. Just felt like I needed a 220 because the geometry was so heel heavy on this razor I wished I had something that would just eat up what metal needed to be taken off without much work. At the rate I was going the 1000 grit was still going to take many hours. Did not help it required even more work than originally needed because the gentleman or previous owners who "restored" or "sharpened" it grinded the toe of the spine on that same side right where it need the metal/thickness of the spine the most to be more geometrically symmetrical.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gasman

One thing not mentioned so far is if you are honing or trying to hone dont spend more than an hour on the same blade. Put it down and try again another day. Spending excessive time on one razor can make you do things you shouldn't. So pick up a different razor if you want to keep honing. It will help you keep your head and thoughts in a better place.

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YUP 100% lol

Not having seen your razor, I will throw out a guess, that you are letting the stabilizer or shoulder ride up on the stone. In the short term you can simply hone the razor with the heel leading a bit, taking care not to let it ride up on the hone. The more permanent fix has been discussed in several threads here and on other forums, and that is reprofiling the heel. Essentially removing the heel "point" altogether. You can grind out a thumb notch and remove the stabilizer, or you can round it using a washer or a coin as a template. Basically the last 3/16" or 1/4" or so of the heel end of the blade will "go away". You mentioned starting over with a Gold Dollar, and most models will benefit from a heel trimming right out of the box. It only takes a few minutes. Without power tools, maybe an hour. It makes honing a LOT easier, especially that critical first bevel setting session.

I used to sell Gold Dollars, shave ready, and will probably resume some day. I have honed and sold literally hundreds of them. They are usually easier to hone than a straight out of the box Dovo "Best Quality", FWIW, but still a handful and still easy to get discouraged with as a beginner, and sometimes you do get a REALLY wonky one. So if you get one, get several. If you destroy one, and discard one due to it simply being an unrejected factory reject, (quality control is pretty slap dash at the factory in Ningbo) then you should still have one or two left to play with. The nice thing about fooling around with GDs is they are utterly expendable. At least until there is a total ban on Chinese goods. The steel is not up there with Swedish or Solingen or vintage American, but it isn't bad so don't worry about anybody throwing shade on them just because they are sold at RSO prices. Yes, a "good" razor is better in nearly every way and detail. But you won't get a quality razor for five bucks any time soon.

I often get down and dirty with very coarse stones, initially beating GDs and some abused vintages into shape. However early in your honing journey I must agree that slow and steady wins the race, and very coarse stones should best be avoided for now. A 600 grit Chosera will handle those Gold Dollars. The steel is not overly hard and usually not very chippy either. A new production 1K Norton also works well. It is a lot coarser than Japanese 1K stones and cuts pretty fast. Be sure you are PROPERLY lapping your stones.

In setting the bevel, you REALLY need a bright work light that casts a single point of very bright illumination, and some magnification. You can absolutely do no better than the 10x Belomo Triplet loupe. The focal distance is ideal because it helps to eliminate accidental contact with the razor's edge. It is a little pricey these days, I bought mine when they were only about half what they sell for now, but it is still worth it. That, and a bright work light, will let you roll the reflected light around on the bevel and see where you have improved bevel surface, and where you do not, and where you have a good apex or intersection between the bevel faces, and where you still have jagged and broken steel that will never get sharp. It does NO GOOD to try to hone a razor with finer stones until the bevel setter has done it's job completely, and well. The bevel is key, and if you aren't sure your bevel is set, then don't waste your time proceeding in the grit progression. Learn to read those reflections as you roll and tilt the blade in the light.

A well set bevel will shave arm hair with ease. WITH EASE. It should even shave your face, although comfort will be lacking, to be charitable about it. More importantly, the edge will pass your detailed visual inspection. Major faults in the edge will not be removed by finer stones in your lifetime. By the 1k Naniwa SuperStone level, your edge should be very consistent and the bevel face should be a nice level plane that goes all the way out to the edge. There should be nothing left to do that the bevel setter can do. There will only be the scratches left by the stone, and the resulting micro teeth in the edge. Each honing stage in your progression must completely remove the coarser scratches left by the preceeding stage, and replace them with its own finer scratches, all the way out to your finisher. Never move up to the next grit until you are sure that the current one has done everything possible for it to do.

If it takes 4 or 5 days to get your first good shave ready edge, that's okay. Eventually you will be doing a razor in an hour. Eventually maybe 20 minutes or even less. But speed is not really the essence. When you are only honing your own razors, there is no timetable and your labor is free, and you should enjoy the ride.

Once you are getting good edges on your GDs, try some more ebay beater vintages. When you master them, try a Dovo Bismarck, and see just how easy honing can be. Very straightforward form factor for honing, and very ergonomic one for shaving with.

The cheapest GD model is the 66 and it is the one most people think of whey you say "Gold Dollar". It is a fairly heavy and clunky razor with a very obtuse bevel angle due to the thick spine. Do yourself a favor and NEVER tape the spine of this model, no matter what. You WANT "spine wear". It is not a thing of beauty in the first place, and you will never grind the spine down so thin that the bevel angle is too acute. Much nicer is the #208 and the P-81, but I don't think I like the new P-81 razors due to the thick and heavy wood scales and monstrously heavy flat metal spacer in lieu of a proper wedge. They used to have acrylic scales that did not overbalance the razor. The 208 has very flimsy but serviceable ABS scales, covered in a checkered pattern plastic layer. The 208 hones up fairly easy, the P-81 better due to not having a full stabilizer. Nevertheless, I suggest rounding off the heel anyway. The model 200 and other "00" models are still more refined but more pricey. The 800 is the best that they make, and costs quite a bit more. The 900 is the most expensive but they suck. The "W" models are meant to look kewl and to have visual appeal to know-nothing fleabay shoppers, so give them a miss.

A slight upgrade over a GD if you want to go Asiatic, is the Titan. The cheapest model Titan, with the ACRM-2 T.H. 60 steel is IMHO the best, and the closest to a traditional Western straight razor. They run about $22 on Ali Express. They are much easier to hone than a GD, as a general rule. While that price is edging up into the range of a decent vintage razor, there are far fewer wild cards involved, so it is worth consideration. I don't care for them simply because they are more expensive than a GD and not as high quality as my favorite current production "quality" razor, the Dovo Bismarck and related models. So to me it has neither the quality I would like, nor the dirt cheap price that can make me philosophical about less than stellar quality. You might find one to be a good stepping stone for you, though.

The Titan is made in Taiwan, and the company is Japanese owned. The bevel angle is not as obtuse as the Gold Dollars. The more expensive models have huge pocketknife scales and spacers, and to me, they are very awkward to shave with, and the harder steel of the premium models is very prone to chipping. The T.H. 60 model is the one you want, and no others. IYAM.