Looney question about sharpening straight razors

[daedpa]

Is it possible to sharpen a straight razor with this ( http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/ref=pe_423400_111685240_pe_row5_b3/?ASIN=B00004VWKQ )? I think the better question might be would it work to suit our needs?
I wasn't looking for sharpening devices. It was something that was in an email from Amazon and I decided to have a look.

Thanks for the help.

 

[nuclearblast]

I'm sure the experts here will help you...but at the same time I am pretty sure that tool is far from serving the refined sharpening needs of a straight razor.

 

[PapaFish]

I sincerely doubt that one of those would get things sharp enough. We tend to keep our straights at 8,000 grit or above, and those work differently. I used one similar to that to sharpen my mom's knives. It was actually very good at sharpening kitchen knives. Removed metal fast, and left a small, shiny bevel. The edges were sharp, but cutting sharp, not shaving sharp.

 

[mwhitcraft]

Another consideration is that razors are sharpened at a different angle than knives, so even if this were fine enough, the edge it would produce wouldn't be truly shave ready.

 

[Galaktus]

I wouldn't try it. Not on a razor. Maybe a machete for the yard, but not my face.

 

[captaincaveman]

That device is just a stone with a V-groove and a handle. I bought one at a dollar store years ago. I would not use that on a straight razor, or anything that's important, or really anything at all...it's way too much work compared to its alternatives. It's a cute little gimmick product that a few people will find useful but most will throw away; they don't depend on recommendations or repeat business. I'm amazed that it has decent reviews on Amazon.

 

[GreekGuy]

Absolutely not, no way.

Honing a straight razor requires time, practice, and hones. Synthetic or natural. The cheapest solution out there would be lapping film and theres a number of threads about the stuff. But a handheld tool will at best destroy a straight razor edge. Theres just no way it would get the angle right or the edge sharp enough

 

[Giant Kiwi]

I wouldn't even use that on my work knives let alone a razor.

 

[ouch]

That would be a mighty quick way to ruin a blade.

 

[daedpa]

Thanks for the info. I was just curious which is why I asked. I ask questions sometimes just to see what I get for a response. You never know until you ask or try something.

 

[totorlekiller]

I made some experiments on something similar and it would not even set a bevel.
even if it did, the bevel would be at the wrong angle

 

[Galaktus]

Those sharpeners use tungsten carbide plates, and by drawing your knife over the plates, the carbide actually rips metal from the edge. And they way you draw the blade, the metal that is removed is taken from the bevel parallel to the edge, not perpendicular like traditional honing does.

 

[tomtom42]

to sum up the previous posts (IMHO):

that device WILL seriously damage any straight that still can be honed - it will damage even most knives...

br,
T°M

 

[Krodor]

Thanks for the info. I was just curious which is why I asked. I ask questions sometimes just to see what I get for a response. You never know until you ask or try something.

It worked!

 

[rockviper]

Even I could probably put a better edge on a blade that that thingy.

 

[oxford1833]

I've tried similar products for kitchen knives. Epic fail. Garbage.

 

[duderdo]

I wouldn't use it to sharpen the knife my mom uses to cut up cat food.