Anybody have advice on honing these?

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I posted this elsewhere and decided to go to the source, you guys!

Here it is:

I just got a Henckels Rapide that I have been using GEM blades in. It came with these blades that are made to mimic a wedge blade by being inserted into these base portions. I do have an inbound holder that looks like a shavette. You insert the wedge blade into the shavette holder and then can scrape it along a sharpening stone. I imagine you could strop it if necessary as well.

I have more Henckels wedge blades due to arrive in a few days. And they are true wedge blades with no need to insert into an accessory to mimic a wedge. In the past I have shaved with a straight for a few years but moved to DE and now have been doing SE for variety.

So here is my question. What type of stone / stones should I get to sharpen these on? Synthetic? Do I really need a full progression of stones and if so do you have a suggestion for a source? Not looking to drop a ton of money in fancy stones, just want some that will get me what I need. Any thoughts or advice is welcome!

 

[rbscebu]

Although I am not familiar with Henckel wedge blades, if you are not looking to drop a ton of money on whetstones, I would suggest that you consider a lapping film setup. That should cost you well under USD 50. You probably won't need to go to the normal 75mm (3") wide setup as your blades will probably not be that long.

 

[Legion]

I have one of those Rapide razors somewhere. I tried it with regular SE blades, they fit and it works, but it beat my face up.

I believe they originally came with a blade holder which gave you a handle for stropping the wedge blades. Presumably that could also be used for honing them on a stone.

Assuming the blades are shave ready to begin with, you should only need a finishing hone to touch them up when they dull.

The thing I'm not sure about is whether they were meant to be honed in the holder, or with the blade flat on the stone. That would be important to research, because it will effect the bevel angle.

 

[Kyle89]

I've honed up a bunch of Rolls Razor blades (similar blade) with a standard progression of 1k,5k,8k,12k. I'll put a piece of electrical tape on the spine because it allows for easier handling on the stones (cut the tape longer than the blade to allow for flaps to hold onto).

Do the blades slide out of that holder thing that appears to be on them?

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I've honed up a bunch of Rolls Razor blades (similar blade) with a standard progression of 1k,5k,8k,12k. I'll put a piece of electrical tape on the spine because it allows for easier handling on the stones (cut the tape longer than the blade to allow for flaps to hold onto).

Do the blades slide out of that holder thing that appears to be on them?

Yes, the blade slides in and out of the holder. It really seems to be no different than a GEM blade. In fact, I shaved with it both ways. Once with the GEM blade in the holder, once with only the GEM blade in the razor as seen in the pictures here. The holder changes the angle of the blade somewhat.

 

[Sando]

Found this guy who uses a shavette to hold the blade while sharpening. Good demonstration but he's speaking Russian so I don’t know what he’s saying. Looks very doable.

 

[kcb5150]

You can tape the spine and leave enough overhang on each side to flip the blade on the stone or put it in the stripping handle and tape that if the geometry would come out ok.

 

[Bayamontate]

What kcb5150 said. Additionally, find a wedge section holder (Henckels, Kronenberg, Kampfe Bros. etc.) on eBay and it will make honing them easier.

 

[kcb5150]

The darwin blade I literally screw a chopstick into the side hole and it works like a charm... I meant to say stropping handle in the previous post but it's obvious what I meant...

 

[Rob72]

Your blades appear to be in excellent shape & not smiling. Tape, 4 & 8 is my usual recipe. If spotted on the edge or chipped, I knock the edge flat with a 600 diamond plate, then 1, 4, & 8. I've never used the spine fixtures as more than an adaptive holder for the honer/stropper handle, and storing in the protective cover. I always remove them prior to placing the blade in the razor.

 

[Empire straights]

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View attachment 1578173

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I posted this elsewhere and decided to go to the source, you guys!

Here it is:

I just got a Henckels Rapide that I have been using GEM blades in. It came with these blades that are made to mimic a wedge blade by being inserted into these base portions. I do have an inbound holder that looks like a shavette. You insert the wedge blade into the shavette holder and then can scrape it along a sharpening stone. I imagine you could strop it if necessary as well.

I have more Henckels wedge blades due to arrive in a few days. And they are true wedge blades with no need to insert into an accessory to mimic a wedge. In the past I have shaved with a straight for a few years but moved to DE and now have been doing SE for variety.

So here is my question. What type of stone / stones should I get to sharpen these on? Synthetic? Do I really need a full progression of stones and if so do you have a suggestion for a source? Not looking to drop a ton of money in fancy stones, just want some that will get me what I need. Any thoughts or advice is welcome!

Very carefully friend. Very carefully. Honestly I don't know but do it like any other blade. Looks like you may be able to lay it flat and push it around but if that's not a good angle then pick your angle you want your bevel, and work your way through grits. People get particular about what angle the bevel should be or not but honestly with razors it really doesn't matter(to me, I'll catch her for this) because of your bevel is perfect and you are trying to shave and it's not working... change your angle on your hand/wrist and like magic hair will fall off. Once you find an angle you like(for any type of blade) stick with it so you can gain muscle memory for that implement and you can zone out on a TV or dream up philosophy. Get a rhythm and you're golden.

 

[aussie]

My guess would be to tape the spines and hone just like any straight razor.

 

[Empire straights]

If not like a straight I'd guess like a plane iron? I bet that spine is at the right angle to get the bevel right though.

 

[Manannan]

For stropping the Henckels Rapide hollow ground blade I use an Allegro Model E with a K11 blade holder; a K12 blade holder with attachment A removed will hold a spined SE blade (GEM Blue Star, Personna, etc) which can also be used in the Rapide. The K12 blade holder, with attachment A in place, will hold a Valet or Feather SE blade for a Valet Auto Strop, for use in addition to the mini leather strop supplied with it.
Honing a Rapide hollow ground blade on stones, lapping film or sandpaper, tape the spine, go gently and, if requiring full protection, wear chainmail gloves...
A good thing about the Rapide (and Wotan) blade is that, unlike the blades for the Darwin and Rolls razors, it has no holes in it and is therefore much easier to dry and oil to prevent corrosion.

 

[Manannan]

For stropping the Henckels Rapide hollow ground blade I use an Allegro Model E with a K11 blade holder; a K12 blade holder with attachment A removed will hold a spined SE blade (GEM Blue Star, Personna, etc) which can also be used in the Rapide. The K12 blade holder, with attachment A in place, will hold a Valet or Feather SE blade for a Valet Auto Strop, for use in addition to the mini leather strop supplied with it.
Honing a Rapide hollow ground blade on stones, lapping film or sandpaper, tape the spine, go gently and, if requiring full protection, wear chainmail gloves...
A good thing about the Rapide (and Wotan) blade is that, unlike the blades for the Darwin and Rolls razors, it has no holes in it and is therefore much easier to dry and oil to prevent corrosion.

I have a K12 blade holder without attachment A from a beaten up Allegro sharpener model E (from a job lot) which I use in a Henckels Rapide/Allegro model E combo to strop GEM Blue Star (spined SE blades) for use in the Rapide. My K12 is missing the attachment A but I have found that using the spine from a used Blue Star as a shim in the K12 allows it to hold a non-spined Valet SE blade and other non-spined SE blades securely enough for stropping in the model E.

 

[Manannan]

I have a Henckels ‘Rapide’ set (stamped J.A.Henckels Germany and with the Twin Works logo but not stamped Rapide) with the handle and blade holder for stropping and honing. Does anyone know whether the Henckels U-profile blade holder will accept the similar hollow ground blades from a C.V.Heljestrand safety razor for stropping and honing?

 

[Manannan]

I have a Henckels ‘Rapide’ set (stamped J.A.Henckels Germany and with the Twin Works logo but not stamped Rapide) with the handle and blade holder for stropping and honing. Does anyone know whether the Henckels U-profile blade holder will accept the similar hollow ground blades from a C.V.Heljestrand safety razor for stropping and honing?

View attachment 1678436

With the arrival of a 7 day Heljestrand set in the post/mail I have answered my own query - the Heljestrand will fit in the Henckels stropping/honing blade holder, but, because the Heljestrand spine profile is slightly different/thicker, the fit is very tight and slightly forces the holder lips apart. Henckels and Heljestrand SE blades fit each other’s razors.