Help me home this problematic razor

[conroygc]

A B&B member sent me a straight razor that he had to try and hone. It has a bit of a problem with it's construction, so I've ran into a bit of a roadblock on how to finish honing it.

The razor is good enough steel and pretty much a full wedge. I did some math to figure out that 6 layers of tape will get the bevel angle up to 16 degrees (without tape it's at nine). I started making the new edge on a DMT coarse. Took at least an hour to get to the point it was taking metal off the actual edge, that's how dramatic the angle change is. Moved it to a Chosera 1k and then a naniwa 3k. It's shaving arm hair, but...

The problem is that the razor height (measured from edge to spine) changes by over an 1/8 inch as it moves from the toe to heel. So it starts out being a 6/8 razors and transitions into a 5/8. So only the first two inches of the razor is getting sharp, and the rest of the edge doesn't even touch the hones.

I cant see a way of fixing this without grinding the razor down to being uniform all the way across the razor, but the member requested no grinding.

Anybody have any ideas?

I'll post a picture if the razor as soon as I get home.

 

[Doc226]

Likely will need a rocking stroke.

Six layers of tape makes it really hard to actually get a good edge, vey compressible.

 

[conroygc]

Rocking stroke is what you use to hone smiling razors, yeah? I was trying to do that, but while this razor has a smile to it, it's like... a crooked smile.



Here's a picture of the razor.


As I said above, the toe is 6/8" (or so) and the heel is 5/8". You can see the failed sharpie test about 2/3 of the way down.

 

[SliceOfLife]

1" wide hones (Use sides of your synths)

 

[conroygc]

1" wide hones (Use sides of your synths)

They're all glued to stands. :/

 

[Kentos]

Hmm. That razor looks familiar. Does it hold an edge ok?

 

[conroygc]

Hmm. That razor looks familiar. Does it hold an edge ok?

So far it seems to. Once I got a new bevel on it, it was easy to get it to start shaving arm hair, and "feels" right after the 3K Naniwa. I think it'll get sharp enough, but I have no idea if it'll hold the edge for a decent amount of shaves.

 

[Kentos]

So far it seems to. Once I got a new bevel on it, it was easy to get it to start shaving arm hair, and "feels" right after the 3K Naniwa. I think it'll get sharp enough, but I have no idea if it'll hold the edge for a decent amount of shaves.

I seem to have a recollection that those ornate scale razors were "razor shaped knives" or sumthin. Which is why the geometry isn't conducive to easy honing. It looks like you are have progressed quite a bit so I look forward to the end result!

 

[SliceOfLife]

It's one of the Sweeny todd replica razors, isn't it?

Honestly with a razor that is that deformed, without a very narrow stone, it's going to be a nightmare to hone evenly. In your situation I'd A: give up. Failing that, I'd hone it on the corner of my stones with perpendicular strokes (drawing the razor so the corner of the stone moves from the heel to the toe of the razor). This will be damn near as hard as freehanding to pull off, but if you're cautious and keep the angle the razor makes against the stone consistent, it will work. Problem is you're going to have very little razor on the hone at any given time, so holding that angle while performing the strokes will not be easy. And since you're going to be moving the edge and taped spine parallel to each other instead of one leading the other, the drag of the tape will become much more of an issue.

 

[Obiwan]

I thought those Sweeny Todd's (last I remember) weren't suitable to hold an edge. I could be wrong, but you may want to confirm before spending too much time in it.

 

[conroygc]

It's one of the Sweeny todd replica razors, isn't it?

Honestly with a razor that is that deformed, without a very narrow stone, it's going to be a nightmare to hone evenly. In your situation I'd A: give up. Failing that, I'd hone it on the corner of my stones with perpendicular strokes (drawing the razor so the corner of the stone moves from the heel to the toe of the razor). This will be damn near as hard as freehanding to pull off, but if you're cautious and keep the angle the razor makes against the stone consistent, it will work. Problem is you're going to have very little razor on the hone at any given time, so holding that angle while performing the strokes will not be easy. And since you're going to be moving the edge and taped spine parallel to each other instead of one leading the other, the drag of the tape will become much more of an issue.

I'm starting to think A sounds like a better option here.

 

[alpster]

Being relatively new to honing, I thought it would be smart to hone cheap and damaged ebay blades and save the nice blades "until I was good at it". Turns out "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear" as the old saying goes. After spending many frustrating hours of honing warped, twisted and chipped up blades I finally just took the risk and tried a decent razor and was amazed at how it almost sharpened itself. That particular knife sells for a couple of bucks on ebay and was never intended to be a razor. I supposed you can shave with anything your willing to spend enough time sharpening, but I would consider the cost benefit and cut your losses. JMHO

 

[Seraphim]

Good Gravy!


A Sweeney Todd!


RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!! It'll never hone up!!!!