Bought a butter knife... TIme for some OJT hone training

[rimmini]

ON my latest antique run I picked up a really nice Red Point and another blade. The other blade was in excellent condition no nicks at all. Got it home slapped it across the hone a few times and tested the blade on my arm. Lets just say this thing wouldn't shave water off a popscicle. This is the first time I've bought a training razor (fifteen years too late)...oh well live and learn. Time to try my hand at honing from a blank. I am not worried about ruining the blade...it was only fifteen bucks. Any tips on how to put a shaving edge on a trainer?

Thanks

 

[rickboone1]

You slapped it across "the hone". Well, what grit was the hone? Perhaps a slap wasn't quite enough. May need to set a bevel and move up from there. Start at a lower grit and work your way up.

 

[rimmini]

You slapped it across "the hone". Well, what grit was the hone? Perhaps a slap wasn't quite enough. May need to set a bevel and move up from there. Start at a lower grit and work your way up.

No if this was anything other than a trainer or a blank I would expect the blade to remove a few hairs at least. I got nothing. Honing a blade with a set edge is no problem for me. But setting the edge myself is new territory

 

[Drybonz]

Honing a blade with a set edge is no problem for me. But setting the edge myself is new territory

You will probably have to do a bit of reading, maybe watch some videos. The answer will be a little different depending on what honing setup you have, etc, etc... I would start with the wiki.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Honing

 

[rimmini]

So no tips then. OK, like I said live and learn. So I started with a butter knife and broke out my hard stone and lapping compound too take the metal down. A bit of sharpening with those two has got me to an edge that will shread paper but not yet fine enough to drop though hair. Having problems getting a good V (The sysmetry is a bit off) but its one step up from where its was. Well bed time so more tomorrow.

 

[Mike H]

"Shredding paper" will dull a razor so that it may not shave arm hair any longer. We are more than willing to provide tips, but need more information. Specificaly, what type of hones do you have, and what is the compound?

Taking a razor that is "butterknife dull" to popping arm hairs will take a bit of time depending on the stone you are using.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_Straight_Razor_Shaving

 

[Krodor]

You will probably have to do a bit of reading, maybe watch some videos. The answer will be a little different depending on what honing setup you have, etc, etc... I would start with the wiki.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Honing

So no tips then.

Ummm...that was a tip.

The link in Mike H's post has lots of stuff in it on how to set a bevel. The tips can be more specific once you tell us if you've got a coticule vs. norton vs. jnat vs arkansas, etc. they all behave differently.

 

[rimmini]

My stones are a 101A Silicon Dioxide Carborundum, and a 2x4 arkie. If I need the extra grit I use Lapping Compound on the 101 its worked pretty well so far to get out nicks and put an edge on this one.

 

[Krodor]

so you're all set?

 

[ouch]

So no tips then in the first four hours on a Saturday night.

Fixed it for you.

 

[rimmini]

Yeah I am good. Just needed patience and time. The blade is shave worthy now but I have gained a new appreciation for professional honers.