Question about touching up a razor....

**kopio** · 12-09-2010, 07:33 AM

Hey Gang,

This is a repost that I posted in the general straight razor discussion, but I didn't really get any good answers. I'm hoping that here I might get some better input.

My favorite razor, hands down, over anything else I've ever shaved with, is a lowly Dovo Solingen Best Quality. It is the 6/8 version in FULL hollow.

For some reason I get the best shaves off of this. Furthermore, I can touch it up on my stone and it returns to super sharp everytime.

I have owned : Thiers Issards, High end Dovo's (Micarta and currently a Bismark), as well as a nice custom Wapi. None of these razors shave me as well or keep the edge as well as my cheapo Dovo.

Right now I'm considering trading my Bismark away because I just don't like the way it shaves me. When I first got it, it shaved very well and was amazingly sharp, but I haven't been able to get it even close to as sharp as my Best Quality.

Am I just doing it wrong? I'm open to any suggestions/criticism you got. I love the look of my Bismark, but I grab the Best Quality 9 times out of 10 just because I know I'll get an amazing shave.

I use a Spyderco hone. I have the fine and extra fine. I touch up both razors with the exact same method, same pressure, same routine.

It is most noticeable when I shave my chin. When I use my BQ, it mows through it with no noticable pull, one pass and it's bbs. When I use the Bismark it still cuts pretty close, but it's nowhere near as comfortable. It pulls like a mother. I can still get a good shave, it just doesn't feel as smooth.

For the record, I strop on a wonderful Tony Miller (can't say enough about how nice it works) Latigo strop with canvas first and then leather.

I'd love any input, thoughts, etc. I know that I can send it out, and yes I have a great razormeister that does wonderful work, but I'm about 2 years into wet shaving now and I want to start learning how to do my own touch ups. I do great with the Dovo BQ...but the Bismark has me puzzled. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Warmest Regards,

-Matt (aka Kopio)

**rajagra** · 12-09-2010, 07:57 AM

Have you done the marker test to see if honing is affecting the whole edge on the other razors? Maybe they aren't as perfectly straight as the BQ.

**kopio** · 12-09-2010, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by rajagra

Have you done the marker test to see if honing is affecting the whole edge on the other razors? Maybe they aren't as perfectly straight as the BQ.

Nope...as a matter of fact I haven't. Looks like I have a good next step to go with.

I had a feeling that posting in this forum would lead me to some better steps to resolving the issue.

**Kees** · 12-09-2010, 12:07 PM

Either the cheapo razor simply agrees best with your skin and beard or the other razors aren't up to speed.

Bevel marker test may show you what's wrong, you can also try looking at the bevel under a mike.

**DavyRay** · 12-09-2010, 05:52 PM

What's a Bismark?

You dis your Dovo in one sentence, and praise it in another. If the Bismark costs more than than the Dovo, who cares? Price is not the ultimate arbiter of quality. Your experience matters more than the entry in the accounting ledger.

If the Bismark sucks, sell it. If the Dovo does very well for you, keep it. We gotta do what works here. Theory be hanged.

**danjared** · 12-09-2010, 07:59 PM

Bismark is a model of Dovo razor. I would try to reset the bevel and go from there. The bevel may be uneven or rounded if it's not responding well to your hones.

**mdunn** · 12-09-2010, 08:12 PM

if touching up isnt working, i suspect the bevel

**johnmrson** · 12-09-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by mdunn

if touching up isnt working, i suspect the bevel

+1

Were both straights originally honed by the same person? Did either, none or both have a taped spine when honed?

**wdwrx** · 12-10-2010, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by johnmrson

+1

Were both straights originally honed by the same person? Did either, none or both have a taped spine when honed?

This

I was wondering the same thing. There could be a good possibility that you aren't actually touching up the edge,but rather the shoulder of the bevel if it had been honed with tape previously.
Also, the question of micro-chipping comes to mind as another possibility. Have you looked at the edge under magnification?

**kopio** · 12-10-2010, 05:54 AM

Well....I checked the edge with a marker and sure enough....the belly of one side wasn't making contact with the hone. So....I applied a little pressure in that area and was able to get a nice even edge with no marker on it anywhere. I haven't shaved with it yet, but I'm planning on giving it a whirl later today....I'll post the results.

**kopio** · 12-10-2010, 09:07 AM

Ok guys...so here is what I have learned so far....

The edge of the razor wasn't coming into contact with the stone when I did the magic marker test. I applied a bit of pressure, got the edge in full contact and ran through about 10 passes to make sure that it all got hit well.

Today I tried to shave with it.....it wouldn't cut at all. Which leads me to believe that the razor was originally honed with a taped spine. My guess would be, two layers of tape to set the bevel and then one layer of tape to finish the edge. It's my understanding that is the "typical way" of honing a razor that you don't want to have any hone wear on. The weird thing is, it really looked to me like there was already honewear, albeit light hone wear at that.

So...now to my plan...

Here's what I'm thinking of doing with the limited set of hones I have (only a spyderco fine and extra-fine). I am going to wrap the spine with one layer of tape. 10-15 passes on the fine hone, 10-15 passes on the extra-fine hone, then strop and try it out again.

Does this sound like a good way to proceed? I was almost thinking of doing two layers of tape first, doing the same routine, then going to one layer of tape. Would that be better? OR...have I just completely messed up the bevel on this razor?

I know I could just send it to my honemeister and he could fix it in a snap, but I want to learn how to do this myself. In other words, I'd rather learn for myself instead of taking the easy route.

Thanks for all of your input so far. And yes....I know I need a good medium hone, perhaps if I'm lucky Santa will bring me one. Out of curiousity, if you were to recommend a good reasonably priced medium hone what would it be?

-Matt (aka Kopio)

**superbleu** · 12-10-2010, 09:31 AM

Can't provide you a whole lot of insight, but usually when people tape, they only use one layer throughout the whole process, swapping it out if there is a lot of tape thinning during the bevel setting stage.

How much pressure did you use when you applied pressure. No way of telling what this did to your edge. I don't have any experience with the spyderco hones you have.

if you want inexpensive stones, go with the norton stones.

Might be better off sending these off to make sure they are up to snuff if a little more tinkering doesn't get you to where you want. You might need to go further down in grit than you have right now.

**Wid** · 12-10-2010, 12:51 PM

I have to agree. I was working on a blade yesterday on the Norton 1K and it took me forever to get nowhere. I ended going back to the 220 and got the bevel set at the lower grit. I hated to put the wear on the spine but ya got to do what ya got to do and it worked. From there it wasn't bad at all.