Thread: Newbie can't get the thing sharp!

Hi all -
I'm trying to restore a chipped blade, but having troubles: I breadknifed it flat, but can't get it sharp again. I keep changing grits (I've got the norton setup), but the only part to get sharp is the heel. It's getting sharper and sharper, which is terrific as I now understand (I think) the TNT and TPT, but the rest of the blade just varies a little bit sharper and less sharp no matter what I do.

Any advice? I'm really confused, as it seems I'm doing roughly the same thing to the whole blade...
Thanks very much for any insight-
SHuka

Norton set up??? as in 220/1k 4k/8k????

Did you read the Wiki or the thread I did on doing this procedure????

BTW not being facetious here, but this is a rather advanced technique... in other words it takes time even if you have done many of them....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

it takes time even if you have done many of them....

Thats an understatement.

Ah! So you're the author! Yes (and thanks - I've been trying to follow it). I appreciate that this takes time (having driven my wife insane with the sound of honing in our kitchen I wonder if I haven't put in enough time already...).

So, yes: the Norton 220/1000 & 4000/8000 hone set.

In your article you wrote something like: "at this point it will feel like a sharp kitchen knife", to switch to making the true bevel with the 1000. I tried to cut grapes (as a less qualitative measure of kitchen knife sharpness), and never felt like I was at the sharp kitchen knife (except at the heel, where things are great). Looking at the edge under a loupe, though, I couldn't see any residual "flat" from the breadknifing, so I took off a layer of tape (left two, because on practice with a crap ebay razor the width of the honed portion of the blade without tape seemed much much wider than on the razor Lynn sharpened for mr)... and went to the 1000. I did the marker test, and thought I was getting everything except maybe the tip. At this point it seems like I hit a wall where no matter what I do (go back down to 220, up to 4k and back, etc) the heel is sharp but the rest doesn't change it's sharpness (at this point I can cut a grape, but it's not so easy. Still slides off my nail, while the heel grabs in TNT and cuts arm hair).

So I'm essentially running scared now - dreaming up conspiracy theories about the tape clogging the nortons so they only polish... I guess you'll suggest I go back to the 220, but I think I tried that and it didn't help. I'm missing something!
Thanks!
Shuka

Your fine, push it, use some pressure on the Norton 1k, trust me here you are not honing yet.....

Use only enough pressure to keep the blade flat on the hone when "HONING"

You are restoring still, you need to remove metal and get the edge to a bevel, albiet a crude one, circles and japanese style honing helps here also.... Once the crude bevel feels sharp with two or three layers of tape, then start stripping tape and backing off on the pressure....

Glen -
I find your soothing voice of reason very comforting, thank you! I'll jump back on the 1k tonight, and I'll be sure to let you know when it works.
Gracias again -
Shuka

Try using a marker on the edge of the blade. After a few strokes you'll be able to tell where you're not hitting the hone. When the marker comes off quickly and evenly you should have a pretty good bevel set, and are using the right stroke. You can keep using it as you go up the hones.

Hi all-
Thanks for the advice - I wish I could say I don't need any more, but it's just not so. The good news is... after following Glen's suggestion everything started working better, and this morning I was able shave.. with half the razor, and not very comfortably. So I have the feeling that I'm past the "restoration" part of the process, and now am merely struggling to get a shave-ready sharpness. I'll keep playing (including the marker test - thanks), and if I don't taste success in a reasonable time (2 weeks? a month?) I'll come back for another kick in the pants.

Thanks very much! It's exciting to see things working, and feel what certainly is the sharpest blade that I've every created...
Shuka

And when you start honing walk over to the honing forum and talk to the big boys over there . . . honing scientists I tell ya!

Your still just restoring . . . is there a penalty box to sit in while your just "bevel setting"?

Just kidding, soon you'll move from the "you need pressure" guys to the "no pressure at all, EVER!" boys . . .

If you are to the point of actually thinking you can shave it is time to just stick it on the 4k and leave it there using nice light even X strokes...
Go in 10 lap sets, after 20 laps stop and try popping the hair on your arm, if it pops the hair in several spots from toe to heel then and only then is it time to move to the 8k....
If you keep moving to higher grits to soon, you are just wasting time...

Once the edge is ready at 4k then about 20 light laps on a Norton 8k will take it to shaving sharp.....


Everyone does the same thing, trying to do the "Yeah it's close, I'll catch it on the next stone" it simpliy doesn't work that way, if the edge is not at the right stage, you can spend hours of needless time at the wrong grit...

Remember there are a minimum of 3 steps most of us use 4

Bevel set
Sharpen
Polish
Finish (some use strops here)

You have to take each step, no matter what system you are using...