Thread: heavy blades --hollow ground

Just got a B J Erye off the bay that had a chip in it. Hollow ground but still fairly thick at the spine and 6/8 wide. after honing I couldn't wait to used it. now it's not as heavy as my diamond edge Wade and Butcher 7/8 but it seems to plow through the chin whiskers just like the wedge where the extra hollow ground blades tin to stop when going against the grain first pass. now the C-M0n didn't. it also went against the grain first pass but with more pressure. I guess I need to try them ALL.

Originally Posted by rhensley

Just got a B J Erye off the bay that had a chip in it. Hollow ground but still fairly thick at the spine and 6/8 wide. after honing I couldn't wait to used it. now it's not as heavy as my diamond edge Wade and Butcher 7/8 but it seems to plow through the chin whiskers just like the wedge where the extra hollow ground blades tin to stop when going against the grain first pass. now the C-M0n didn't. it also went against the grain first pass but with more pressure. I guess I need to try them ALL.

Excellent - know what you mean about the W&B Diamond Edge, I'm not usually a fan of wedges, but the Diamond Edge was fantastic, big chunk of Sheffield steel, mine is 7/8 as well, and it purred like a lion, was a fantastic blade to use, and now I have a wedge that I will use regularly. I do two ATG passes, so by the second pass, only the odd straggler is left....

Originally Posted by rhensley

Just got a B J Erye off the bay that had a chip in it. Hollow ground but still fairly thick at the spine and 6/8 wide. after honing I couldn't wait to used it. now it's not as heavy as my diamond edge Wade and Butcher 7/8 but it seems to plow through the chin whiskers just like the wedge where the extra hollow ground blades tin to stop when going against the grain first pass. now the C-M0n didn't. it also went against the grain first pass but with more pressure. I guess I need to try them ALL.

I just can't get my head around a properly honed blade of any grind being stopped by whiskers.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I just can't get my head around a properly honed blade of any grind being stopped by whiskers.

For me I like to use light pressure. my beard around the chin area is heavy and thick. If I go with the grain first then heavy blade or light works. but if i''m in a hurry and go against the grain first then the heavy blade plows right through and the extra hollow ground either stops or skips. either makes me a little uneasy. now that's just me everyone else may and very likely is different.

Originally Posted by rhensley

For me I like to use light pressure. my beard around the chin area is heavy and thick. If I go with the grain first then heavy blade or light works. but if i''m in a hurry and go against the grain first then the heavy blade plows right through and the extra hollow ground either stops or skips. either makes me a little uneasy. now that's just me everyone else may and very likely is different.

Stopping or skipping is a sign of poor lather, poor honing, or high angle of attack but I haven't seen it all so maybe I'm missing something.

every beard is different and each persons attack at it is also a little different. at my age I still learn something new each day. the trouble is at my age I also forget something every day.

It's all the more reason to keep at it with a hollow grind so you figure out what you are doing wrong that it simply doesn't work for you.

Originally Posted by rhensley

every beard is different and each persons attack at it is also a little different. at my age I still learn something new each day. the trouble is at my age I also forget something every day.

If you haven't already, one thing to try would be shaving with the full hollow flat as possible. One of my early restores was foiled to such a thinness that it takes the slightest touch to deflect the blade. It taught me all about a light touch for honing & laughs at my whiskers but the spine is mostly in contact with my face in use.