Thread: Getting out a chip

Guys, I'm just getting my feet wet with restoration, and I have 2 questions:

1. What's the best way to remove rust?

2. What's the best way to remove a chip out of the shaving edge? I've tried going down to the Norton 220 stone and I have aggressively sharpened it at a pretty steep angle (up to about 45 degrees) to try to file the whole blade down, but no luck. Would a Nicholson high-carbon steel file work, assuming the razor is high carbon?

Thanks!

Sacred Bovine! You're bringing the heavy stones right from the git go! A 220 stone should grind that puppy to spine! It would help if you had photos posted so we could see what your working on and what the problem looks like. It is very easy to cut too fast and ruin a blade. One way to get nicks out and reset the bevel is to use a "sawing" motion, back and forth on the correct angle for the bevel. Try not to grind on the spine but angle needs to be correct for the bevel or you will end up having to take a lot more steel off when you set the bevel. I do this with a 1K Norton as a rule. Keep a close watch on how close or how much you are getting into the belly. If you grind past the belly in to the hollow, chances are it might make a good letter opener.

If you sharpened the razor with a 45 degree angle on a 220 grit stone it is going to take a very long time and a lot of metal to get the bevel and edge back.

I agree with Kenrup. The 1k should be fine for this. Progress can be slow though depending on the chip. Do circles on the hone. As for getting rust out. You have to use metal polish or something which might show deeper damage under the rust. If that's the case you have to try sanding. If you get Bill Ellis' restoration cd, it will tell you everything you need to know to start. Generally 220, 400, 600, 1200, 2000 something like that. Guys have their different steps they take.

Originally Posted by Kenrup

Sacred Bovine! You're bringing the heavy stones right from the git go! A 220 stone should grind that puppy to spine! It would help if you had photos posted so we could see what your working on and what the problem looks like. It is very easy to cut too fast and ruin a blade. One way to get nicks out and reset the bevel is to use a "sawing" motion, back and forth on the correct angle for the bevel. Try not to grind on the spine but angle needs to be correct for the bevel or you will end up having to take a lot more steel off when you set the bevel. I do this with a 1K Norton as a rule. Keep a close watch on how close or how much you are getting into the belly. If you grind past the belly in to the hollow, chances are it might make a good letter opener.

am I understanding you right:

lay the razor flat on the stone (tape the spine?) and then saw it back and forth along the line of the spine? that is, perpendicular to the direction of sharpness?

I just hone regualarly with some pressure on the 1k stone and then when I'm getting close the the chip being gone, ease off the pressure and move up to the 4k then 8k then coticule.

Of course, many people do things differently...this is just what has worked for me...and also, I'm really just a newbie honer, so take my advise with a grain of salt.

Mark

I just did this with a 1200 dmt. Took a few hours but it took the chip out without causing more damage and sanding and polishing the blade back up to a good shine was a few more hours.

I'm pretty sure I've only spent a dozen hours cleaning up the blade so far.
Can't be more than another dozen to go......

It's a good thing I don't have to pay an hourly rate.

Originally Posted by jockeys

am I understanding you right:

lay the razor flat on the stone (tape the spine?) and then saw it back and forth along the line of the spine? that is, perpendicular to the direction of sharpness?

I normally don't tape the spine unless it is etched or jimped. I justly barely use enough pressure to say I use pressure but the pressure rides the bevel not the spine. I do saw back an forth until the chip is mostly gone. Then I use the regular X pattern to get rid of the chip completely.

Originally Posted by Kenrup

I normally don't tape the spine unless it is etched or jimped. I justly barely use enough pressure to say I use pressure but the pressure rides the bevel not the spine. I do saw back an forth until the chip is mostly gone. Then I use the regular X pattern to get rid of the chip completely.

You think that same trick would work to help correct a frownie razor? Got one and it's giving me fits to correct it by normal honing on a rougher (dmt) stone

Originally Posted by Kenrup

Sacred Bovine! You're bringing the heavy stones right from the git go! A 220 stone should grind that puppy to spine!

Well, what I left out (due to being pressed for time--I do have a life outside of straight razors) was that I'd started on the 1,000 stone, with no visible results after about 10-15 minutes.

I'm not real good at pictures...that's why I'm a pro copywriter!