Removing Edge Damage - When to Hone and when to Breadknife?

[proslogion]

Hey everyone,

I've got several razors in various states of disrepair, and, like the title says, I'm wondering when I should hone out edge damage or breadknife out the edge damage. I know that razors rely on spine wear to keep the edge angle correct, so it seems like I would always want to hone out damage... but then I have no clue where bread knifing a blade fits in.

Is bread knifing primarily to fix frowns, with honing to fix chips/edge damage?

Any guidance would be helpful! Thanks!

 

[Ice-Man]

Hi Sir!!!
Welcome to the straights, Right bread knifing is only used to knock the sharp edge of while working on the blade. So you have less chance of cutting yourself but you still can, as its still sharper than a household knife. Now to start honing please watch these 3 videos as these are a good source of info...

How to hone a straight razor
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Hope those 3 videos help a little as it gives you some idea as you can see it better than trying to explain....

 

[Gamma]

First, I Calculate the existing bevel angle and the calculate what it will be if I do a straight breadknife and hone. That measuring can help set a course to follow. One thing to be aware of is that, often, breadknifing causes an overshoot; the chip is ground out but that means honing further than visualized. If I breadknife out 1/2 of the chip then hone normslly, , there’s less chance of that happening. Another technique is to toggle between tape/no tape to keep a decent angle. Some use a 45 deg honong angle to start off their grinding, but that hadn’t proven to be faster or better and it can introduce geometry issues. Honestly, I am usually against breadknifing and silly gymnastics; I just hone and monitor the geometry. I use low-grit stones to cut fast if I have to. Simple snd straightforward is usually best for me.

 

[proslogion]

Thanks everyone!

 

[RumpleBearskin]

I attempted my first breadknife to fix a significantly frowning blade not to long ago. I was surprised at how much width I lost. Much more than I anticipated. I think the "go half way with the breadknife and then hone as you need to" is good advice.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Gamma pretty much nailed it. Breadknifing has screwed up kajillions of razors. I never do it anymore. I just hone, with an eye on the geometry that it doesn't end up outside the sweet zone. When steel comes off the edge, steel should come off the spine. Breadknifing removes a huge amount of steel from the edge. Breadknifing is ALL ABOUT removing steel from the edge. Your razor, your choice. Not saying you MUST NEVER breadknife, but I never find reason to, and so I don't ever do it. If you do, remember for every .001" removed from the edge, you must remove about .004" from spine thickness if you want the geometry to be unchanged. Be aware of what you are doing, what the bevel angle is and will be, and what your alternatives are, and whether adjustments are desireable or undesireable.

 

[proslogion]

I'm going to just hone it until the chips are gone. Seems like the easiest step forward for me. Thanks!

 

[Legion]

I would also agree with Gamma, but my method is, rather than bread knife, I hone the blade freehand like it was a knife with the spine almost touching the the hone.

Then, checking using a loupe, once the chip is almost gone, I will lay the blade flat and set the bevel. I find this will remove minimal material off the edge, compared to having to set the bevel from a flat, breadknife angle, and it also takes less time.

Of course this depends on the size of the chip. I will do this with a ding. If it is a chunk I'll bin the *****, or cut it off into a shorty... Or a box cutter. You can't save them all.