This might be a stupid question but here it goes. How do you fix a frown? Do you, as they say, turn it upside down? Rub it on a rock until you're happy? (every pun intended) A little help please... My setup is a Norton 4/8 and my old stones for knives in fine, med, course. I don't have too much.
Fixing a frown
- Thread starter SinnerinRehab
- Start date
how bad is the frown, slight or large? how far does it extend into the blade from the spine? that'll be slightly bigger the new max width of the blade. how bad is spine? any wear?
pics would help
pics would help
I have fixed a couple very slight frowns. I used a rolling x stroke with an emphasis on making sure the toe and heel got more than their fair share of time. I started on my lowest stone that wouldn't chip the razor up and did the bulk of the work on that stone, and worked up from there. I guess the one wasn't so much a "frown" as it was a "not a smile" on a razor with a defined arch in the back. I think I would be using the same type of technique no matter the case (unless I had a 3" wide DMT coarse stone or something to that effect). My hint for seeing if there is progress being made is to hold the razor with the edge pointed up, and look down it like it was a sight on a gun, or just slightly to the side. You will be looking for concave to go to flat, and then convex (if you want a smile). You can see in this way where on the edge needs additional work, as even very slight dips or rises become apparent.
pics would help..I have a 1920's Morley & Sons with a slight smile...heel first then teeter down on the tip area down the hone to the end of it..found thats the easiest way to hone that part
- Thread starter
- #5
I'll post some pics in a bit (tomorrow). The frown is slight. I'd like to see it straight or a small smile. The razor is a vintage Torrey. 6/8ths with plastic scales
If you don't have a coarse stone, you can use some coarse sandpaper on a hard flat surface.
With a slight frown, a rolling x stroke with 300-600 range stone should work, if the frown is bad then bread knife it. To bring the edge back from a bread knifing hone at a 45 degree angle until you get a "sharp" edge again, then lower and hone again just holding the spine off the hone, when the bevel is almost ready, lower the razor and set the bevel in a regular manner.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks to all for the comments. I'll give a go and see what we come up with. Pics to follow.
That is some sound advice right there!
- Thread starter
- #10
Here is the Torrey. I wanted a project razor for myself. It only has a little frown. I'd like to see a bit more of a point on the nose. The blade is 6/8 almost a 13/16. Scales are in great shape and cleaned up well. Some polish and the frown fixed and then we can test her.
Last edited:
That's not much of a frown at all. Before starting, make a plan for what you want the blade to end up looking like. That blade looks like just a bit of metal removed up toward the tip could fix the whole thing, leaving a relatively straight blade, whereas if you take some off the heel to give the razor more of a bowed smile, you will likely run into a situation where a lot of steel has to be removed. Actually, the frown is so slight, it could probably just be honed "as is" and be fine. I wouldn't, and I know you want the practice, but I'm just saying.
I would hone with pressure on the toe, this should correct it nicely
+1, thats not too bad. It would be faster in the long-run to do it this way than bread knife IMO.
- Thread starter
- #14
My thoughts also. To be honest, I'm not sure how to bread knife. I don't quite get the idea behind it. If someone could explain better it would be helpful. As for this project, I want a straight edge with a point on the nose. Nothing fancy but a clean line. I wasn't happy with the current look. Again, thanks for the advice to all.
Bread knifing is just like it sounds, take the knife and try to cut the hone like you would with a bread knife to cut some bread.
I've actually heard "breadknife" used a couple ways, and the one I have seen in a video (hence the one that sticks in my memory most) was a guy basically running the edge over low grit sandpaper like you would bread a piece of toast. If I were breadknifing like doc says, I would be using sandpaper for sure, and I would be worried that I would cut through the paper while doing so.
I have done it, I use my DMT but you are right if you are using sandpaper the knife will probably cut it.
So it could wind up being a function of the tools a person has... I wouldn't be so worried on a diamond plate, but I have some relatively soft stones that I would be worried about scratching/marring. I suppose the side of such a stone could be used...
Side of the stone would work.
Those scales beautiful.
Similar threads
