Thread: Is this edge toast?

Originally Posted by rsrick

Point taken.

From a copy of a barber's manual I have saved (Jimmy - I didn't check the link you provided .... I suspect it's the same manual):

"The average barber has a tendency to hollow out the cutting edge of his razor, due to the fact that as he takes the honing stroke he instinctively exerts pressure along the center prtion of the cutting edge and unless this tendenct is corrected the edge will soon take on the shave illustrated [frown]"

So I guess the prior owner would be "average".

{Sry Matz, didn't mean to take your thread off topic .... }

Cheers,

That is the manual I was referring to. I get a lot out of it. Enough that I printed it out and have looked at it frequently.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Another thought just stuck me upside the head , do you guys realize just how picky we are when it comes to our razors??? Somebody was shaving this razor, at sometime, in that shape!!!!

That is a sobering thought.

For $20 you've already spent, try this:

Tape the spine.

400 grit sandpaper on a flat stone or even a counter top - put the edge down like you are cutting bread and then instead of sawing parallel to the edge go at about 45°.

Grind away the frown.

Hone it up starting on the 400 grit.

Worst case scenario, you've just wasted $20.

Mark

Originally Posted by 0o.Mark.o0

For $20 you've already spent, try this:

Tape the spine.

400 grit sandpaper on a flat stone or even a counter top - put the edge down like you are cutting bread and then instead of sawing parallel to the edge go at about 45°.

Grind away the frown.

Hone it up starting on the 400 grit.

Worst case scenario, you've just wasted $20.

Mark

I wasn't going to into this repair in the thread but since you opened the door I guess somebody is going to have to explain why that will not work, or rather, not work correctly... obviously from this pic you can shave with just about anything, really....

Take a piece of paper and use the edge placing it on the computer sceen over the pic of the blade and get an idea of just how much metal there is that you have to remove, first.... Then take note that the the spine is slightly curved which means that the edge should match that curve in a smile to be "correct".... Also note that the barbers notch and the shoulders are going to have to be re-ground to eliminate the problems there... Now after all that is done you are going to have to re-cut an even bevel on a smiling blade, then actually hone said butter knife dull re-cut bevel to shaving sharp....

Like I said this would do it correctly.....

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

More like too much pressure applied when honing. Check out this barber manual chapter on honing and stropping here in the SRP Wiki for good info with illustrations on how to avoid creating a frown.

This is a good possibility especially if the guy honed it on the edge of the stone. Another possibility is that there was a problem somewhere along the way and the center of the blade overheated and annealed making it softer and more prone to wear. The ultimate question though is can you shave with it? It's kind of cool looking really!

John

Originally Posted by John Crowley

Another possibility is that there was a problem somewhere along the way and the center of the blade overheated and annealed making it softer and more prone to wear. The ultimate question though is can you shave with it? It's kind of cool looking really!

John

Excellent point here !!!! Didn't even occur to me that the blade might have been bad to begin with....