Let's see how badly I botched my first hone WITH PICTURES :D

[Olajidebt]

Hi guys! I hope at least some of you fellows will have a laugh, cause I ain't

Never honed a razor, today was my first try. Sooo ok, I got this razor some time ago but it got left in another city, not my hometown where I stayed during the Covid-19 lockdown. It was sharp when I got it and it shaved well, I used it 3-4 times. I heard there was such a thing as stropping, so I got A BELT with leather, linen aaand velure(?), and then I looked up videos on how to strop. Before leaving for my hometown I stropped that razor LIKE A BOSS, lightning fast, INCREDIBLE. Didn't check the sharpness afterwards though. Now today I got back home and the blade didn't cut almost at all, with a lot of tugging barely any hairs got removed. I read up a bit, seems that when I stropped I put all the pressure ON THE EDGE You guys knows what that means, I dulled the blade. Never fear my honing stones from Wish.com were with me, they arrived during the pandemic. Of course I watched videos during the pandemic HOW TO HONE, etc. I put the stones in water while I took a shower, let them soak up the water. Came out, got sorted and started to hone like the master I am at it. I quite vividly remember everyone saying, NO PRESSURE. But I thought, pfff come on, really, at least a bit of pressure, so I put a small(honestly a small) amount of pressure. I did 50 roundabouts on each grit, of course wiping the blade after each stone, and added water during the process. Then I stropped while putting all of the pressure on the spine and letting the edge just slide. 50 passes of linen, linen with abrasive, velure and leather.

The razor was barely any sharper, maybe juuust a tad bit. Then I remember them saying, if not good enough start from the beginning. I did. This time I used this thingamajig that came with the stones(pictures below), because it said that it fixed the angle. Ok. Same process all over again. The razor got even duller.

REPEAT, this time without the leveling thing, just gliding on the stones without ANY, literally pressure, just keeping it on the stone. Blade is now as dull as a butter knife, it won't even make a wound while sliding the edge straight perpendicular to my skin.

My question is. How badly did I hone this razor, is it repairable, is it honeable? Thank you

Stones

THE STROP

THINGAMAJIG

RAZOR

 

[David]

Strops like a BOSS.

With a little guidance you'll be making shave ready razors in no time. Step one. Throw bevel gadget thingy as far as you can and then set it on fire.

 

[ajduplessis]

You homed a frown onto the blade and the geometry is now off, not a straight edge anymore. This is likely due to pressure applied to the middle part of the blade during the hone process. You can see it on the spine too.

First, discard of the thingamajig immediately! Burning it might actually be better, like a witch....

Your stones would also not be flat anymore. Send the razor to get corrected and honed. You will loose a bit of width and lap your stones. Find a reputable honer to give you guidance, there is much to learn and understand to get a razor to shave comfortably.

 

[Steve56]

That hurts to look at....

 

[Olajidebt]

You homed a frown onto the blade and the geometry is now off, not a straight edge anymore. This is likely due to pressure applied to the middle part of the blade during the hone process. You can see it on the spine too.

First, discard of the thingamajig immediately! Burning it might actually be better, like a witch....

Your stones would also not be flat anymore. Send the razor to get corrected and honed. You will loose a bit of width and lap your stones. Find a reputable honer to give you guidance, there is much to learn and understand to get a razor to shave comfortably.

How do I lap my stones/make them flat? Also I don't know if there are such people in Bulgaria, straight razor honers...

 

[Basil]

That hurts to look at....

Also hurts because it looks like one of the le grelot blades.

 

[LJS]

Wait. If you used that knife-angle-guide you called a thingamajig then I am sorry to tell you that you did change the angle up significantly and incorrectly. That is for knifes. Razors have their own angle guide built in.

So on top of the frown you now have a knife bevel.

I would highly recommend you stop right now and get educated on how this is supposed to be done. There are many ways that are “right” but what you did was not one of them. Some hands on training would be best if you know someone, if not I suggest you do a lot of reading before you go at it again.

 

[ajduplessis]

How do I lap my stones/make them flat? Also I don't know if there are such people in Bulgaria, straight razor honers...

Wet/dry sandpaper on a dead flat surface such a polished granite.

 

[Olajidebt]

Also hurts because it looks like one of the le grelot blades.

Yeah it is a beautiful blade, yeah I ruined it. But in the end it's an item that has to serve me, I would just want it to be sharp again so it can shave me. Plus I got it for a good price so it doesn't matter that much.

Wet/dry sandpaper on a dead flat surface such a polished granite.

Thanks!!!!

Wait. If you used that knife-angle-guide you called a thingamajig then I am sorry to tell you that you did change the angle up significantly and incorrectly. That is for knifes. Razors have their own angle guide built in.

So on top of the frown you now have a knife bevel.

I would highly recommend you stop right now and get educated on how this is supposed to be done. There are many ways that are “right” but what you did was not one of them. Some hands on training would be best if you know someone, if not I suggest you do a lot of reading before you go at it again.

Well I'll try and find one to sharpen it, it's gonna be tough! Someone to teach me... I don't know anyone so, I'll just have to learn myself I guess. Time to buy cheap cheap razors and train on them

 

[Steve56]

There’s a fellow in Plovdiv that hones, Rusen Rusenov I believe. He sells pipes on Etsy and is a member here. RusenBG

RusenBG

www.badgerandblade.com

If you contact him, tell him that Steve56 said hello! He’s a good fellow.

 

[Olajidebt]

For real!?!?! Wow, that's amazing! Next week I will meet up with him FOR SURE, if he is free of course! I will tell him you said hi! Many thanks Steve56!!))))

 

[sanookd]

This guy is in Slovenia and might be able to help you if the guy mentioned above cannot. He’s a British chap.
https:
//www.etsy.com/shop/Straightrazzors

 

[Slash McCoy]

Your razor isn't ruined. Just damaged. It can be salvaged. Just don't do anything to make it worse. Right now, you should be watching every stropping video on youtube. Practice. Practice, practice. Once someone who knows his beeswax gets the shave ready, you will know how to strop. Next, learn to shave. Get a second shave ready razor. When the first one gets dull, you got a spare. If you want to teach yourself to hone, that would be the time. Your first time up, since the razor will only be dull from normal use, you only need a finishing stone or film to touch up the edge. This is your best and easiest entry into honing.

Oh BTW, hone in hand. The hone or plate should be in your hand, razor in the other hand. I bet you were honing with the stone on a bench or table, holding the razor with two hands. This is a recipe for disaster. When you hone in hand it is very easy and natural to regulate your pressure.

Read. Watch vids. Do your homework. Don't go into this cold, without a clue. Here is a link for you.
Newbie Honing Compendium | Badger & Blade

If you read that and read all the threads linked inside, beginning to end, and you can follow directions perfectly, you can get crazy good results first or second time up. This style of honing is called The Method and is probably the easiest way to get started, definitely the cheapest, and gives an edge that cannot be beat.