Thread: I ruined it! Please Help me!

I was preparing for a nice shave with my newly bought kamisori. I did 30 passes on my leather strop, and then left the razor as usually to get the soap, the brush and the rest of the hardware. As I turned the razor falls down to the floor. It got two major chips in the edge.

Is there any possibility of fixing this damage and bring it back to use?
What should I do?

I own a Norton 220/1k comb stone, a Norton 4k/8kcomb stone, a Japanese natural corresponding to approximately 400-800grint, a Slovakian natural corresponding to approximately 6k-10k, and the Chinese natural finishing stone.

Should I start from 220 grit until the chip is eliminated or should I start with something else?
With what kind of passes? 7-1 ? 5-1? 1-1?

What would you do to fix this kamisori razor ?

If you are used to honing these type of blades you can do it. Be prepared, you are going to lose a LOT OF METAL. Start with the 220, there is no sense in losing time and creating work with a higher grit. You might consider a different finisher instead of the Chinese 12k.

I read the Wiki about treating these chips, but it refers to European razors, not kamisori razors, so I am not sure if I can “breadknife” in the same way the kamisori because it has a very particular anatomy from both sides and I am afraid that “breadknifing” it will alter significantly the small curve of the front side of the blade (the one with the letters). If you own a kamisori you will understand to what I am referring at.

I also have this very low grit Chinese stone, should I start “breadknifing” from this stone?
it must be 120 – 160grit.

Originally Posted by Slur

I read the Wiki about treating these chips, but it refers to European razors, not kamisori razors, so I am not sure if I can “breadknife” in the same way the kamisori because it has a very particular anatomy from both sides and I am afraid that “breadknifing” it will alter significantly the small curve of the front side of the blade (the one with the letters). If you own a kamisori you will understand to what I am referring at.

I also have this very low grit Chinese stone, should I start “breadknifing” from this stone?
I must be 120 – 160grit.

yes you can use same technique to fix it but the nuance is to leave the back alone.
Still you will loose a lot of metal here before it is fixed.

I breadknifed the razor as indicated and then did many passes on the 220 grit. The edge was uneven as to width but with appropriate pressure to the smaller point I brought it to near even.
However It doesn’t pass the arm hair test.
I passed it many times from the 1k, and it still doesn’t cut any hair in the arm. The razor is dull.
I don’t know what to do. Continue to the 220? Continue to 1k? Pass to 4K?
I am afraid that the total remodeling of the razor in the breadiknifing and the passes on the 220 may have altered the razor significantly to a point that it is not able to be sharp again.

Try the 4k Norton before you do the arm hair test, I do not use mine but I have heard off 1k norton is hard to have arm hair.
As far as number of passes on back and front, the recommendations I have seen here vary among 7/3, 8/2, 10/1.

I'm a rank beginner, so I probably should just keep my mouth shut, but ---- if I understand the geometry of a Kamisori, the side you are sharpening is like a wedge. The rule I go by is - stay with the coarse stone or DMT until you have set the bevel, period. When you can cut arm hair, then, and only then, go to your next stone up in the sequence. You might use tape to speed up the process, but that is probably a cultural violation. If it was mine, and the damage was serious enough, I might make a few passes on my 2x72 grinder to set the bevel. Low speed, light pressure, cold water. Good luck, and sorry for your loss.

With a Kamisori you can't take too much metal off because as you can see from the profile the razor is canted towards the hollow ground side or writing side. If you really start to remove metal you will lose this profile and then you will need to get the entire thing reground and I don't know anyone in this country who does that. With a western razor you can always keep going and wind up with a smaller size but that is not an option with a kamisori.

Originally Posted by skipnord

if I understand the geometry of a Kamisori, the side you are sharpening is like a wedge.

No, it is not like that.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

With a Kamisori you can't take too much metal off because as you can see from the profile the razor is canted towards the hollow ground side or writing side. If you really start to remove metal you will lose this profile and then you will need to get the entire thing reground and I don't know anyone in this country who does that. With a western razor you can always keep going and wind up with a smaller size but that is not an option with a kamisori.

I am afraid that you are right. This is what I was trying to say a few posts above.

Thanks, Slur. I should have just kept my mouth shut. If you could diagram a kamisori, and show how it is sharpened, it would be helpful.