Thread: Anybody ever have Bertarelli hone a razor??

I came across a Bertarelli today, a place that specializes in sharpening cutlery, and asked about razor honing. The guy told me that they will hone razors and that they seem to do a good job, no one has ever complained.

He mentioned that they do not hone by hand and that they have a machine they run them through. My concern is that I don't really have any good razors to test them on and I don't want them to shave off an eighth inch off a good razor.

It would be great if this place did do a good job because it is cheap and right next to my apartment.

What do you guys think, has anyone ever tried a place like this? Any comments would be very helpful!

Thanks
Michael

Why not take an ebay special there and see what you get?

Well I initial reaction is that it isn't a good idea. From what I've read any honing done by machine cannot produce the same fine edge attained from honing by hand. Could they go as fine in grit with the machine as with regular hones? I think it's worth a try, just take in a cheap razor as Kees said (one that you have no attachment to) and see what they can do!

The only machine that can do a good job is a microtome sharpening machine. As microtome blades have straight edges and their sharpeners do no X-patterns that's no good for any blade with even the slightest smile.

When I hear that "that they have a machine they run them through." I would not do that with a razor I was expecting to use....

but if you have one that you don't like.....

looking at their website, it seems that their machine is simply a grinding wheel.

Bertarelli Cutlery - St. Louis Missouri

Ask the person DOING the sharpening is HE shaves with straight razors sharpened this way. I'd even go so far as to keep asking questions if he says yes. If you are convinced he uses them, and he doesn't have visible scarring (extra points if he looks like he has a really nice shave), I agree with bringing a cheapo ebay special that in theory COULD give a good shave if honed properly.
That said, I doubt it, and I would bet your razor would either be ruined through the use of a grinding wheel, or at least in serious need of a real honing after.

You might ask how much they would charge and calculate that against sending it out for someone who knows what he's doing

If they sharpen razors with the same setup in the photo on their site it will not work well. It MAY ruin the razor if he isn't careful. I can almost guarantee all that.

Ask them whether the knives they sharpen pass the HHT.