I am trying to hone a Beau Brummel wedge I got off ebay a while back. Just did 50 laps on a freshly lapped norton 4k and it is sharper than when I started and I can make it cut hair on my arm but it sure doesn't want too. I'm wondering if maybe I ought to drop down to a 1k for a few laps? What do you think? How sharp should the edge be after 50 laps on the 4k? The edge is not rusted or chipped and black marker on the spine and edge didn't show any warping. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Trying to hone dull razor, what now?
- Thread starter Shaman
- Start date
1k is very standard for bevel setting. Do you use tape ?
- Thread starter
- #3
This is actually my first attempt at honing a razor, I hadn't planned to use tape if I didn't need too. This is strictly a shaver, no gold wash or fancy spine work to protect.
Please just don't hone it.
if you are trying to hone razor and it is wedge blade it is not easy to do so.
You simple could damage the razor.
buy cheap bay razor's hallow ground and learn how to hone. after that you can hone any razor you like.
if you really need to this razor get honed and you don't have any other choose i will hone this blade free of charge. you have to cover postage.
GL
Wedges are typically honed with tape for the sanity of the guy at the stones
Seriously, you should go to 1K until the bevel is set, then go to the 4k.
EDIT: For the record, I agree with Sham that this isn't the razor to learn on... I'd take him up on that generous offer
Seriously, you should go to 1K until the bevel is set, then go to the 4k.
EDIT: For the record, I agree with Sham that this isn't the razor to learn on... I'd take him up on that generous offer
I wouldn't advise you to go out and buy another stone, the 4k norton is quite capable of setting the beveled edge, although it will take a little longer than a 1k stone, but I would advise you to go to Radio Shack and buy a 60x/100x microscope. Of course, that is provided you don't have something like that now.
It sounds to me like you haven't yet developed the sharp edge you need to proceed to the 8k side. With a loop or the microscope you can actually see what your progress is doing. I would think, from your description, you have microchipping along the edge which is prohibiting you from getting the arm hair cutting you are looking for.
Honing wedges is not the easiest way to start. They will have sometimes huge bevels, which take a long time to develop. I would also recommend that you reconsider using tape on the spine. I will not even think of honing a wedge without tape, primarily because of the damage you can inflict on the spine. Visual perception sometimes overides practicality, and this is definately one of those times.
Enjoy!
Ray
It sounds to me like you haven't yet developed the sharp edge you need to proceed to the 8k side. With a loop or the microscope you can actually see what your progress is doing. I would think, from your description, you have microchipping along the edge which is prohibiting you from getting the arm hair cutting you are looking for.
Honing wedges is not the easiest way to start. They will have sometimes huge bevels, which take a long time to develop. I would also recommend that you reconsider using tape on the spine. I will not even think of honing a wedge without tape, primarily because of the damage you can inflict on the spine. Visual perception sometimes overides practicality, and this is definately one of those times.
Enjoy!
Ray
Sham is a top notch honemaster. Take him up on his offer without hesitation.
Ray
Ray
- Thread starter
- #8
I think I'll take that advice and let you hone this one. It's not a show piece but it is a nice little razor (at least I like it) and would hate to ruin it before I ever shave with it. I have another razor off BST that is hollow ground and will shave the arms but isn't quite there yet. I imagine I would do less damage with a chinese 12k and get a lot of practice. If you will PM me your address I'll ship the razor to you. Thanks.
FWIIW worth, the razor will not shave well (at all) until it passes the TNT. Until it does, don't bother with hones less than ~4K.
I got rid of my wedges because it became apparent that the edge was not going to be satisfactory without tape, and I don't use tape. I was able to get a good edge off one by "faking" tape with a very slight spine lift. But I'm not about to do that every time I hone any more than I was about to tape every time I honed, So I ground it back out to get the buyer back to square one (let him decide how to hone the thing) and sold it. As someone said, if the razor isn't trash (and it sounds like it isn't) I would just send it out for honing. Learn to hone on something else. There are several reasons why this is a bad one to learn on. Nice razor, Wedge, really far gone edge. Get a nice razor with a decent enough edge and get the motions down just touching it up. Then get a trashed (but not Pakistani) razor and learn to bevel well (even if it takes grinding that sucker down to a nub). And then learn to bring that new bevel up to where it's as sharp as the other razor. Nothing about honing is very complex, but it's nice to get a feel for certain aspects of it and the best way to do that is on a razor you don't care about.
I've honed a wedge without tape and it worked out well from a results standpoint, but the appearance wasn't a major issue for me on that particular razor. It took a great edge (relative to how wedges take edges: I don't particularly love them).
Ian, your refusal to use tape is a whole other topic
Ian, your refusal to use tape is a whole other topic
I use tape, for everything except honing razors. Duct tape, specifically. 
- Thread starter
- #13
Update. I got the razor back from Sham friday and must say he did an excellant job bringing this razor back to life. The edge is every bit as sharp as any I've ever tried but with a smoothness that I rarely feel from a freshly honed razor. Thanks a lot Sham, you saved me from ruining this razor.
