I got a really nice MK32 by a fellow B&B member. The razor was sold as not shave ready, just to make that clear. I especially wanted it that way since I have never set a bevel on a dull razor and wanted to do it myself. It's important I point that out since the vendor offered a free honing service. Now, after roughly half an hour on a coti with slurry (circles and half strokes with light pressure, perhaps 20 sets) there is still not the least indication for the razor to shave any hair on my arm. Is this a normal time frame or am I doing something wrong (note that I have sufficient honing skill to reset a bevel on a previously shave ready razor dulled on glass)?
Problems setting a bevel on a dull razor
- Thread starter Thomas Martin
- Start date
Swedish steel is quite hard. Also you didn't mention if it was honed with tape or not. I would sharpie pen the bevel and take a few light passes to see where the bevel is hitting the stones. If it was honed with tape before and you are sans tape now, you could be in for a long night with the coti to reset the bevel.
Thomas, I actually bread knifed that blade as there was a slight frown from the previous owner. I wwould suggest tape and a few minutes on a 1k stone to create a new bevel.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you, Paul. What does bread knived mean? Again please don't take this thread as a critic. This us a fine blade. I could have asked you directly. But I wanted to have several insights in the problem.
It means if you don't use a DMT or 600 and 1K your gonna spend the better part of a day setting the bevel with a somewhat fast coticule.
- Thread starter
- #6
Would you say a Spyderco Medium could do the job?
I am not familiar with them but if your coticule is La Grise its probably much faster.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks, Paul. Would you suggest one layer of tape? I found a thread on SRP where they use 3 layers at first. BTW: just checked what breadkniving means. It gives me the creeps when I think about having to do this on such a nice blade. I hope you did not suffer too much.
Thomas,
i only use one layer generally and more to protect the spine than anything else.
breadknifing didn't hurt, what hurt was seeing the frown on this one and the worse frown on the other!!! Damn if forums had have existed 50 years ago
3 sounds like a bit much, but i am guessing (haven't read the thread) maybe the purpose was to get "a" bevel going, since likely the amount of metal to remove would be less with tape than without. maybe not much, but if the steel is so hard, perhaps that helps. I've done that on near wedges and then progressively decreased the number of layers of tape to get to the appropriate bevel angle, which could possibly mean no tape or a bunch..
i would marker just to be better aware of where you are abrading metal, since on a "double" beveled edge, the marker "moves" up the bevel and then back down as you abrade away the bevel side. interesting to observe, at least to me it was. you may not see as much on a more hollow blade though without the aid of a scope.
bread knifing means to take the razor edge at a 90 angle to the honing surface and grind away as if you were cutting a loaf of bread, last resort and sometimes not needed depending on who you talking to, or undesired, if you can fix it through a honing scheme, like rolling x-strokes. (rollling just might take longer)
- Thread starter
- #11
Thanks. When you tape, the amount if metal to remove is smaller, I understand. But, unless you want to keep the angle defined by the taped spine you have to remove the tape and in order to get the no tape angle defined by the spine the total amount of metal to remove will be the same in the end as if you were starting to hone without tape in the first place. Or did I miss something?
When setting the bevel, you are trying to remove bulk material. "Light pressure" is for finishing, not bevel setting. Bevel setting is you getting that razor into line. You are the drill Sargent, the razor is the new recruit. You don't say "please", you say "DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, MAGGOT!" (It helps to actually say this out loud when honing, it accentuates the mood).
Then, after setting the bevel WITH AUTHORITY (I recommend a DMT1200 or 600), then you can tickle the edge with your Cotis or JNats, slurries or whatever fancy pants rocks you want to rub it on.
Bevel setting is the key
yes, in the end the total amount of metal will be similar, i just found it a bit easier on my nears-wedges, to not have to go through a slab of metal 100% at once. I guess it depends on what grit you are at and what stone and how well tape holds up as a 600 or 800 or even some 1Ks can eat them up pretty quick and your angle is constantly changing.. .
just make sure the angle dictated by the current spine and blade width is the one you want to end up with, if you plan to hone to no tape.
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- Thread starter
- #14
When setting the bevel, you are trying to remove bulk material. "Light pressure" is for finishing, not bevel setting. Bevel setting is you getting that razor into line. You are the drill Sargent, the razor is the new recruit. You don't say "please", you say "DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, MAGGOT!" (It helps to actually say this out loud when honing, it accentuates the mood).
Then, after setting the bevel WITH AUTHORITY (I recommend a DMT1200 or 600), then you can tickle the edge with your Cotis or JNats, slurries or whatever fancy pants rocks you want to rub it on.
Bevel setting is the key
Lol. I just got myself a nice 1000/6000 combo. I hope 1000 works. If not I will drag my recruit to the pavement outside my house and get a 100 while pissing on his back.
I would use a slurry on the 1K to keep the surface refreshed for max speed.
- Thread starter
- #16
Got it! Thank's for all the good advices.
