What angle do you hone a straight at? This may be a crazy question but I was curious. I would guess around 17 degrees. Sorry if this gets asked every day but I am on the fly and wanted to know. I would like to try a straight but the honing part is a catch, getting the correct stones and all.
Angle of Honing
- Thread starter whiteweed
- Start date
You use whatever the spine dictates, you hone with the razor flat on the stone, some use a layer of ptfe tape to protect a decorated back but you have to remember it was taped whenever you decide to hone it.
Spine and edge both lay flat on the hone, and that makes for the proper angle for any particular razor.
The angle of the blade's bevels will vary based on the width of the blade and thickness of the spine.
The angle of the blade's bevels will vary based on the width of the blade and thickness of the spine.
Hi, I've sharpened just about everything out there except straight razors.
I believe a proper shave ready razor will go for over 50 shaves by just stropping, no honing neccessary. Some folks have reported going years without honing/sharpening if they do 3 to 4 touch up strokes on a barber's hone every 25 or so shaves.
I still havent sharpened one but I'm pretty sure you would sharpen with the entire face of the razor flat on the hone ie 100% contact.
I've only stropped so far and it's also 100% contact but with the spine leading-edge trailing - the exact opposite of honing (edge leading-spine trailing).
Oh - and none of the hones/stones I have will even begin to put a finished edge on a straight razor - I believe the general grit would be in the 12,500 to 15,000 range before the edge hits hide, whether a strop or a face.
I got my straights professionally honed so I'd have a standard to judge any future edge against.
Hope that helps, when I first started (quite recently) I was wondering the same thing.
I believe a proper shave ready razor will go for over 50 shaves by just stropping, no honing neccessary. Some folks have reported going years without honing/sharpening if they do 3 to 4 touch up strokes on a barber's hone every 25 or so shaves.
I still havent sharpened one but I'm pretty sure you would sharpen with the entire face of the razor flat on the hone ie 100% contact.
I've only stropped so far and it's also 100% contact but with the spine leading-edge trailing - the exact opposite of honing (edge leading-spine trailing).
Oh - and none of the hones/stones I have will even begin to put a finished edge on a straight razor - I believe the general grit would be in the 12,500 to 15,000 range before the edge hits hide, whether a strop or a face.
I got my straights professionally honed so I'd have a standard to judge any future edge against.
Hope that helps, when I first started (quite recently) I was wondering the same thing.
- Thread starter
- #5
I see, you tube videos a must in this situation. Thanks. I can see I need to start asking where she wants the strop mounted. I know what the answer is going to be 
a work in progress, a long work. I need to start the journal. 
a work in progress, a long work. I need to start the journal. 
