J.A.Henckels honing problem

**king1976** · 10-09-2010, 11:17 PM

Recently I bought J.A.Henckels 7/8 straight razor from e-bay. It was NOS and not shave ready, but guy that sold it to me try to hone it out and did not have luck so he decide to sold it. As he told to me he try to hone it using Norton 4k/8k pyramid with electric insulation tape on the spine.
So my questions for you, much experienced honers are:

1. Is it possible to set bevel just using Belgian Yellow Coticule stone or I need coarser stone for doing that job (I have Naniwa 1k stone)?

2. How to deal with fact that guy before me using insulation tape (I do not want to use it in early phase of honing such bevel setting)?

All sugestions are welcome.

**Luc** · 10-09-2010, 11:23 PM

Keep in mind, I'm no honer but here's what I think based on my little experience with hones.

1. I would use the Naniwa 1k to set the bevel. The Coti could probably do it but it might take a while.

2. You can tape or not. Some use the tape so you won't get that line near the spine from the honing. I wouldn't use tape myself.

**king1976** · 10-09-2010, 11:32 PM

Thanks.
I just hope that guy before don't do much damage with taping the spine (change blade ange) and taht I will undo it by honing without tape.

**Luc** · 10-09-2010, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by king1976

Thanks.
I just hope that guy before don't do much damage with taping the spine (change blade ange) and taht I will undo it by honing without tape.

If you hone without the tape, you will change the angle a bit but not too much. Do you have any pictures or the straight + close ups on the edge?

**king1976** · 10-09-2010, 11:58 PM

Those are the best for moment:

**johnmrson** · 10-10-2010, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by king1976

Recently I bought J.A.Henckels 7/8 straight razor from e-bay. It was NOS and not shave ready, but guy that sold it to me try to hone it out and did not have luck so he decide to sold it. As he told to me he try to hone it using Norton 4k/8k pyramid with electric insulation tape on the spine.
So my questions for you, much experienced honers are:

1. Is it possible to set bevel just using Belgian Yellow Coticule stone or I need coarser stone for doing that job (I have Naniwa 1k stone)?

2. How to deal with fact that guy before me using insulation tape (I do not want to use it in early phase of honing such bevel setting)?

All sugestions are welcome.

1. Although I'm not an expert with a coticule, I believe you can set a bevel with one.
2. Just reset the bevel without tape and it will be fine.

**wdwrx** · 10-10-2010, 06:02 AM

What they've said.

Gorgeous razor BTW.
And there is a ton of information on how to use a coticule well on Bart's site: http://www.coticule.be/CSA.html

**mainaman** · 10-10-2010, 07:27 AM

setting bevel with coticule can be easy or hard depending on what you are honing.
Hollow ground razor with no edge problems, like what you have , will work nicely with coticule. If you have to reset bevels on a wedge or repair chips etc coticule will be way too slow.

Set bevel on 1k, then you can go to your 4/8k pyramid, or coticule it should work if done correctly.

**king1976** · 10-10-2010, 02:31 PM

Thx guys for useful informations.
I hope I will be better tomorrow (today I am little bit ill, mild flu..) so I can start honing above razor.
Also anybody know what exactly model of J.A.Henckels is that. I saw that many of them sold recently on e-bay (does it NOS, or some old finded batch or etc...)? I also bought mine on e-bay but seller really do not know much about it.

**kfralin** · 10-10-2010, 03:06 PM

I cant tell you to whole story but I believe it goes something like...someone finds a load a JA Henckels Friodor blanks (perhaps ground, perhaps not). Someone else put some crappy plastic scales on, puts them to market on Ebay, knife shops, etc...they are everywhere it seems. The one you have appears to from German guy (manyware, manyrazor)...he is a nice scaler but cant speak to his honing. I hear that a lot of these blades have issues with the spine just not well ground which makes honing real tough unless you have a ton of experience. I hone pretty well and had to send mine out to Vintage Blades for you know who to hone...he got it spot on but I sold it back on the bay as I just didn't find it to my liking.

John Crowley at shavingshop.com also sells these...I am sure he could tell you where the motherload came from...he has them for sale. I would guess his are properly honed as I have bought several razors (no Henckels) from him and each was masterfully honed when I recieved.

**Wid** · 10-10-2010, 04:47 PM

The one you have appears to from German guy (manyware, manyrazor)...he is a nice scaler but cant speak to his honing.

I can, lets just say I had to send a shave ready razor I bought from him out to be honed.

**kfralin** · 10-10-2010, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Wid

I can, lets just say I had to send a shave ready razor I bought from him out to be honed.

I was being nice...hehe...but he does some nice scale work!

**Wid** · 10-10-2010, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by kfralin

I was being nice...hehe...but he does some nice scale work!

So was I

**mainaman** · 10-10-2010, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Wid

I can, lets just say I had to send a shave ready razor I bought from him out to be honed.

I am pretty sure he does not hone, he claims shave ready but the edge is the factory one.

**chess1** · 10-10-2010, 06:19 PM

i cannot see the edge on this blade. i don't know pictures is not showing very well.
if in fact that blade doesn't have bevel then you have to set bevel without tape.
with tape you will never able to make that blade shave ready.
gl

**king1976** · 10-11-2010, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by chess1

i cannot see the edge on this blade. i don't know pictures is not showing very well.
if in fact that blade doesn't have bevel then you have to set bevel without tape.
with tape you will never able to make that blade shave ready.
gl

I know that. Thx.
Guy which sold it to me (not german guy) try to hone it with tape and can not make it shave ready because he try to set bevel with tape.
I hope he did not make mess there.
Also hope that I will be able to reset bevel without tape.
I hear that these razors have spine problem. Anybody know more of that, what kind of problem etc...etc (what I see it seems OK for me).

**mdunn** · 10-11-2010, 12:50 AM

mb also run a sharpie along the edge so you can see when yout un-taped new bevel overtakes the tape bevel

**ambrose** · 10-11-2010, 02:16 AM

eek tape !

**wdwrx** · 10-11-2010, 06:07 AM

well, now I'm confused.
Not taking into account the whole tape/no tape debate, why on earth would one be unable to set a bevel with tape?

If it was mine, I'd just start honing the thing (No tape) and see what happens.

If there are any geometry issues, I think that that would show up in the stroke required (warped blade) are in the spine (strange spine wear). Then at least you'll have a better idea what the blade needs.

**Slartibartfast** · 10-11-2010, 06:10 AM

I understand the sticky situation the tape has put you in. But fear not.

Putting aside the tape/no tape jihad, it is not that hard to reset a bevel with no tape.

I would dull the edge on a beer bottle and then go reset it without tape(if thats your thing), then it is easy to tell when you have the bevel properly set.

This is just how I like to do things though. So take it for what its worth.