Trying to set a bevel

[HokieGeek]

So I'm trying my hand at honing a razor in good condition I bought at an antique shop. The edge had no chips (that I could tell) and was straight, but was dull as all heck.

I'm starting with a naniwa ss 1000 to set the bevel. I've got it so that it's passing the thumbnail test along the entire edge, but it won't cut even the finest of my arm hairs. Should I expect it to be able to shave my arm hair at this point?

[Wid]

Yes; use the arm hair test for setting the bevel until you get the feel of what a good bevel set feels like.

[Neurotopia]

If it can't shave arm hairs, it isn't ready. Don't expect it to shave them all well and such, but they should cut without scraping your skin off.

[HokieGeek]

Well then. Looks like I've got way more honing than I thought

[Brownbear]

I can't get razors to shave my arm hairs. I dull on glass, hone a few more strokes, and do the thumbnail test again. If it passes the edge is ready for a coticule dilucot. I wish I could use the arm hair test, but it doesn't work for me. I may be the only one or you may be another one. But dulling on glass then a few more half strokes then the TNT always works as an indicator for me.

[Kentos]

You might have fine arm hair...try leg hair as it tends to be thicker.

[HokieGeek]

I can't get razors to shave my arm hairs. I dull on glass, hone a few more strokes, and do the thumbnail test again. If it passes the edge is ready for a coticule dilucot. I wish I could use the arm hair test, but it doesn't work for me. I may be the only one or you may be another one. But dulling on glass then a few more half strokes then the TNT always works as an indicator for me.
I hadn't thought about dulling this one first... interesting...


You might have fine arm hair...try leg hair as it tends to be thicker.
Interestingly, I've been avoiding my thickest arm hairs since they're in the most visible areas... I'll definitely try out the legs

[Kentos]

I hadn't thought about dulling this one first... interesting...


Interestingly, I've been avoiding my thickest arm hairs since they're in the most visible areas... I'll definitely try out the legs

My legs look like they have mange...but my face is BBS! Call it a trade off :lol:

[Gamma]

My left arm has bald runways... looks weird but no one really notices. It grows back though..

[danjared]

My left arm has bald runways... looks weird but no one really notices. It grows back though..

Or no one has the heart to say anything! :001_tt2:

The patch on my left arm is very small and is limited to a dozen individual hairs at most. I'm not doing a ton of honing lately, and, besides, I depend more on the TNT, HHT and the way the razor behaves on the hone more than anything else anyway.

[HokieGeek]

So, after some testing on my leg, I got a nice bevel which I then put through the 4k, 8k and 16k. I shaved with it today. The middle of the razor was like butter. I thought it wasn't shaving at first until I noticed that a patch of whiskers was gone and the area was silky smooth. The confusion lay in that the front quarter of the edge was duller than a really dull razor (I suck at metaphors).

So, back to the hones, but I'm certainly on track!

[Wid]

So, after some testing on my leg, I got a nice bevel which I then put through the 4k, 8k and 16k. I shaved with it today. The middle of the razor was like butter. I thought it wasn't shaving at first until I noticed that a patch of whiskers was gone and the area was silky smooth. The confusion lay in that the front quarter of the edge was duller than a really dull razor (I suck at metaphors).

So, back to the hones, but I'm certainly on track!

So; was it the bevel?

[HokieGeek]

So; was it the bevel?

That's my theory, but after puttering around the house last night, I only had time to re-hone a couple of my rotation str8s that really needed it. I'm going to try the MM test on this razor tonight and see what it looks like. Any other suggestions?