Easier to hone?

[Ookla The Mok]

I have been trying my hand at honing for a minute here, and tonight I managed to produce an edge that is on par with the other razors I have been shaving with. Mind you, these have been honed by gentlemen with heaps of experience.

The blade from this evening is either a full or extra hollow. My honing setup is a norton 4/8, a chinese 12k and Tony's 4-sided pasted strop. Tonight went very well, but I have been and assume I will continue to struggle to get a great edge out of stiffer grinds. I got a couple very sharp(the Wapi for example), but the shave was no where near as comfortable as my other razors. Is it just me or does it get easier to get a great edge the more hollow the blade is?

[mparker762]

Lighter grinds mean less weight on the hone. With heavier razors you have to be more supportive of the razor, with little light ones it's not so critical.

Also, the less hollow razors tend to have wider bevels, which means more metal removal and slower honing. It's possible that you're just giving up before they're sharp.

[joke1176]

...Also, the less hollow razors tend to have wider bevels, which means more metal removal and slower honing. It's possible that you're just giving up before they're sharp.


In my limited experience, I have found this to be the case. Those wider bevels take waaaay longer to clean up. Some folks prefer to "shortcut" and use electrical tape on the spine.

It might be an idea worth trying, but then you have the hassle of adding tape every time you hone and strop. I don't do it myself and I have gotten the few wedges I own "scare the hair away" sharp.

[netsurfr]

Lighter grinds mean less weight on the hone. With heavier razors you have to be more supportive of the razor, with little light ones it's not so critical.

Also, the less hollow razors tend to have wider bevels, which means more metal removal and slower honing. It's possible that you're just giving up before they're sharp.

+1 I recently rebeveled a W&B Special, 7/8. It took me a while but the final edge was worth it. I shaved with it last night and my face is still feels close shaven this morning (8 hours later).

[professorchaos]

In my limited experience, I have found this to be the case. Those wider bevels take waaaay longer to clean up. Some folks prefer to "shortcut" and use electrical tape on the spine.

It might be an idea worth trying, but then you have the hassle of adding tape every time you hone and strop. I don't do it myself and I have gotten the few wedges I own "scare the hair away" sharp.

For what it is worth, and I am an utter neophyte, I don't care for taping spines. Makes the razor feel strange on the hone and dampens the feedback.

[Chrisl]

For what it is worth, and I am an utter neophyte, I don't care for taping spines. Makes the razor feel strange on the hone and dampens the feedback.

I think the "dreaded hone wear" IMO is very over-rated as a negative. A razor was designed for the spine and edge to make contact. Maybe I'm one of the few, but with a properly honed untaped "natural" razor, I actually LIKE the look of seeing both the mirror like bevel AND the mirror like spine glint in the light. To me it looks BAD (in a good way). Hone wear is OK with me on my razors since they're, well, mine and since I shave with my razors rather than display them in a case where NOS unused would then maybe be more of a factor to me.

I spend more time over at SRP since I shave with straights exclusively, but I can't help but get a kick out of when some of the newer guys comment on pics of vintage straights that are clearly not NOS/have been shaved with and say "well, it does have a bit of hone wear......":001_rolle

Chris L

[Thebigspendur]

At some point you will find (if you aquire many razors) you will have to tape a spine. if its a fancy razor with work on the spine or gold wash or damascus pattern or a razor with a double bevel you have no choice.

[gglockner]

I think the "dreaded hone wear" IMO is very over-rated as a negative. A razor was designed for the spine and edge to make contact. Maybe I'm one of the few, but with a properly honed untaped "natural" razor, I actually LIKE the look of seeing both the mirror like bevel AND the mirror like spine glint in the light. To me it looks BAD (in a good way). Hone wear is OK with me on my razors since they're, well, mine and since I shave with my razors rather than display them in a case where NOS unused would then maybe be more of a factor to me.

I spend more time over at SRP since I shave with straights exclusively, but I can't help but get a kick out of when some of the newer guys comment on pics of vintage straights that are clearly not NOS/have been shaved with and say "well, it does have a bit of hone wear......":001_rolle

Chris L

I don't have a problem with hone wear, as long as it is not excessive or uneven. The geometry of the blade will get out of line if you where to tape the spine all of the time. A good example when to tape the spine would be to get rid of blade nicks. Then again you take the chance of putting the blade width to spine thickness (or it's geometry) at risk.

Glen