Thread: new straight doesn't sit cleanly on hone

Hi Everyone, I bought a new straight razor off ebay the other day. It's a spike with green see through scales... It's in very good condition (no rust on blade) and looks practically new. The only thing is when i put in on the hone to begin honing i noticed that when i put it on the spine and rest it the cutting edge doesn't sit flush on the hone one side is a couple of mm up which sort of allows me to rock it on the spine. I'm pretty sure the hone is flat as i don't have this issue with my new SS dovo. Can i still hone this blade normally? Is there anything i can do to correct this? Can it still be used? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Thanks!

"Pretty sure the hone is flat" isn't very sure unless you lap it yourself. If you have a lapping stone I'd suggest starting with a good flattening session. Do the magic marker test, and if the spine or edge still doesn't make proper contact there may be some uneven wear or warping going on. Consult the wiki on alternative honing strokes, but the rolling x may be your best bet in that situation.

Pictures always help, if you post some it might be easier to tell what's going on.

Ok thanks Ryan, I'm still waiting on my lapping stone in the mail a DMT D8C... I need to look up what this magic marker test is and i'll get some photos up..

Thanks mate

Not all razors are perfectly straight, the ones that are not can still be honed just fine .
Make sure your stone is flat before you start honing.

I'm not experienced so don't stake much on my opinion. Does it look like it was bread-knifed? That is the edge straightened. I was thinking if it was not all razors are meant to be straight but many have a smile in the spine and a natural smile in the edge. If it was bread-knifed and it was intended to have a smile could that create a problem like aquapura1's razor? I could imagine many people on ebay would bread-knife not knowing what their doing.

Hope that makes since and helps. If it don't please ignore me.

Smiling blade ? If it is chances are you'll have to apply the "rolling X" in order to hone it correctly. Smiling or not, if it is not contacting the hone at all points you'll have to use a honing stroke that compensates for that. Not an unusual circumstance at all. See the SRP library in the toolbar above and go to the honing section and check out the rolling x. That ought to do it, or a variation of same.

Ok great thanks for all the feedback guys! I'll wait till i get my lapping stone so i can ensure that my hone is completely flat and then report back. Seems like a common issue which is ok i don't mind honing using the x-pattern. I'm glad because i have fallen in love with this razor it's a Union Cutlery Co. spike razor with green scales it from the early 1900s i believe however i think it looks so new age and funky I love it.

Ryan mentioned the magic marker test which i did a search on the forum. From what i gather (please correct me if i'm wrong) you get a magic marker and mark the edge of the razor and then hone to see which parts of the edge you are missing thus no honing is that the purpose of the test? Also which type of magic marker should be used for this.

Thanks!

that is correct re; the magic marker method. Any brand will do. I use lighter fluid to wipe it off, alcohol, nail polish remover works too ..... before I go on sharpening the razor .... once I see what stroke is working to make contact with the length of the blade. Wiping it off after it is sharp can be a hassle.