Pitting at edge?
- Thread starter kayvee
- Start date
You'll need to hone till you get to good steel. Sometimes it works and often it doesn't. I stay away from edges like that.
I guess the disclaimer is pictures are difficult to analyze. Lighting & angle can change things drastically. Having said that, I would guess it’s quite salvageable.
The bigger question in my mind, is what the desired end goal for the razor. It generally falls into one of three categories
Restoration/preservation, something collectible or for posterity.
General use, doesn’t need to be pristine but serviceable.
Sacrificial, depending on where you are at in the hobby. Learning to hone on, learning to restore, or tossed on the bench to test stones on before trusting a better razor on…
Once that’s decided it’s easier to decide how much time/labor to put into it. Hope that helps.
The bigger question in my mind, is what the desired end goal for the razor. It generally falls into one of three categories
Restoration/preservation, something collectible or for posterity.
General use, doesn’t need to be pristine but serviceable.
Sacrificial, depending on where you are at in the hobby. Learning to hone on, learning to restore, or tossed on the bench to test stones on before trusting a better razor on…
Once that’s decided it’s easier to decide how much time/labor to put into it. Hope that helps.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you for your replies. ROE's points help crystallize and direct thoughts that were going on in my mind as well. This is a relatively abundant 1960's JA Henckel's - with a clad tang. It just looks cool, so I want to hone it for my own use and along the way learn better honing techniques to maintain my daily razor.
Independently, I had decided to move forward. I taped the spine and did a few laps on 600 film - I saw steel removed and the edge is clean of pits. I'll remove the tape and reset the bevel.
Onward!
Independently, I had decided to move forward. I taped the spine and did a few laps on 600 film - I saw steel removed and the edge is clean of pits. I'll remove the tape and reset the bevel.
Onward!
I made the mistake of purchasing a pitted blade like the one you show at a antique stores. While I could hone it to a keen edge, the micropitting irritated my face to the point I could not shave with the blade. If you want to practice honing or if the scales are worth salvaging for use on another razor and the price is right, go for it, but do not expect it to ever be a good shaver.
I've aeen, and honed, worse, but you really won't know what you're dealing with until you start honing it. Sometimes it's pretty superficial and doesn't take long to get to clean steel. Most of the time it takes some work.
I can't tell if that is pitting or bread mold.
Maybe hone it a bit first and then take pix.
Maybe hone it a bit first and then take pix.
Recently had to take out some pitting on my Orion razor. I started with a coticule of mine and it wasn't getting it out after 30 ish strokes. So then I went to the 2k and would check it after every 10 strokes or so. Finally was clear and I moved on up, I think starting at the pre finisher is a good place to begin.
I have had real Swiss cheese pitting on a few auction delights…never would hold an edge nor could I find good steel . So into the trash they went.
- Thread starter
- #10
Down the rabbit hole I went - and at the end I found another (actually it may be the same place) location on the edge with some missing steel.
Two lessons learned.
1. "See through the scope every single step" - particularly if it's a troublesome blade.
2. Keep track of what is noticed, including locations.
It did shave OK for a first end-to-end attempt. I suppose I'll use this as a beater.
Two lessons learned.
1. "See through the scope every single step" - particularly if it's a troublesome blade.
2. Keep track of what is noticed, including locations.
It did shave OK for a first end-to-end attempt. I suppose I'll use this as a beater.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
If you have successfully honed other razors, then hone this one, and see. It looks like it will hone up just fine. Take it to a 600 grit Chosera and get down to virgin steel, and go from there. If you are the impatient sort, a 320 grit Kuromaku would be a good start. Then get a nice clean bevel with a consistent scratch pattern and no burr or wire or fin, at the 1k stage, and then run your normal progression. If after all that you see more pitting, then try again. If still no joy, maybe you got "steel cheese" there, and it is a goner, but usually something that looks like that at the worst, can be honed and made into a good shaver.
I haven't honed as many antique store finds as a lot of guys here, but so far I've been able to find good steel. A ton of life there. It's not like a guitar needing a refret.
I'm working on an old Wade and Butcher with similar corrosion issues. My first try at finding good steel failed. The edge seemed to crumble on the first shave. More time on the bevel setter to grind out damage and the second shave was stellar. If it holds up for a couple shaves, I'll restore it. If not, I'll try a couple more times before giving up. It may end up as a wrapping paper cutter this Christmas.
This was my exact experience with a ~1890’s Wade & Butcher. After A LOT of work it looked fine under my cheap scope and passed a HHT. In actual use it was super aggressive and would slice you at every opportunity. Ended up giving it to a friend with more shaving experience than me… Ironically he mentioned that he was looking for a vintage razor to try his hand at restoring. Buddy, I’ll give you one! And it sliced him up good too.
I’m guessing that deep micro pitting effectively gives it a permanent serrated edge. Interesting concept for a sushi knife.
I did end up working my way through the pitting on a ~1909 Boker. After enough work, that turned into a real good razor. These were my first two razors and the experience taught me that I suck at spotting salvageable vintage razors. Razors I got from the 1950’s~on have been wonderful.
Tracking the removal of pitting is one of the use cases for which a real microscope excels. It's easy to miss residual pitting even with a loupe. That said assuming what's pictured is the extent of it I bet you could hone it out without trouble.
I need to start trying to restore some of mine. They deserve better. And i need to learn to hone properly also
“I saw steel removed and the edge is clean of pits. I'll remove the tape and reset the bevel.”
Post a photo of the whole razor with scales.
Why would you remove the tape on the spine? If you are new to honing use tape until you master honing, then decide if you want to continue to use tape.
Fully set the bevel on a 1k, see if the bevels will come together and hold an edge. Some of the pitting looks pretty deep.
Buy razors in the best condition you can afford. Do not buy rusted, pitted cracked and chipped razors.
Post a photo of the whole razor with scales.
Why would you remove the tape on the spine? If you are new to honing use tape until you master honing, then decide if you want to continue to use tape.
Fully set the bevel on a 1k, see if the bevels will come together and hold an edge. Some of the pitting looks pretty deep.
Buy razors in the best condition you can afford. Do not buy rusted, pitted cracked and chipped razors.
- Thread starter
- #18
Sure here you go...
I read the back and forth on tape vs no tape. In the long run, I would like to hone with no tape, so I thought I might as well start that way so I don't have to reset the bevel later on.
I hear you - too late for this one. I might as well use this for learning
I read the back and forth on tape vs no tape. In the long run, I would like to hone with no tape, so I thought I might as well start that way so I don't have to reset the bevel later on.
I hear you - too late for this one. I might as well use this for learning
Yup, heel needs re-profiling.
The heel corner is right at or behind the stabilizer, Red Arrows are where the razor has been honed over the stabilizer and tang, in attempt to get the heel on the stone. Also, not the massive spine wear over the toe, more pressure was added to force the heel on the stone, but the heel bevel half of the bevel was off the stone, the toe was on the stone and got the wear.
Moving the heel corner away, forward of the stabilizer about 6mm will allow the razor to sit flat on the stone. Green arrow is current heel corner, Blue arrow is where your heel corner should be.
The razor looks better than the original photo.
Don’t worry about tape, first learn to hone without trashing a razor, then decide if you want to continue to use tape. There is no downside to using tape. I guarantee you will never be able to tell the difference in the shave, of a razor honed with tap or without tape.
Reshape the heel and get the razor flat on the stone.
The heel corner is right at or behind the stabilizer, Red Arrows are where the razor has been honed over the stabilizer and tang, in attempt to get the heel on the stone. Also, not the massive spine wear over the toe, more pressure was added to force the heel on the stone, but the heel bevel half of the bevel was off the stone, the toe was on the stone and got the wear.
Moving the heel corner away, forward of the stabilizer about 6mm will allow the razor to sit flat on the stone. Green arrow is current heel corner, Blue arrow is where your heel corner should be.
The razor looks better than the original photo.
Don’t worry about tape, first learn to hone without trashing a razor, then decide if you want to continue to use tape. There is no downside to using tape. I guarantee you will never be able to tell the difference in the shave, of a razor honed with tap or without tape.
Reshape the heel and get the razor flat on the stone.
- Thread starter
- #20
Thank you much for taking a close look. I got this at an antique store and the previous owners had done the damage.
How do I do this? Does this just mean that I make sure the stabilizer does not get on the stone?
I'm a beginner - and would appreciate details or pointers to threads I can read.
How do I do this? Does this just mean that I make sure the stabilizer does not get on the stone?
I'm a beginner - and would appreciate details or pointers to threads I can read.
