What Straight Razor Have You Honed Lately????

What stones / progression, Magic did you use? No hone wear Given degree of repair?

 

Two new razors up, a NOS Tanifuji Cape 2000 and a Klas Tornblöm frameback. Bevels were set on a Shapton Glass 1k for the KT, it had one tiny pit on the bevel to be removed, 2k Glass on the Cape, than 4k Glass, pre-finisher, then ol’ ugly. Both took stunning edges, especially the KT.

Side story, my recently acquired Grelot 14 struggled a bit taking the best edge which shouldn’t be, and when I honed the Cape, it did well up to 4k, then at the pre-finisher, the edge looked less than straight and the HHT was less than the 4k.. I rinsed the hone and razor in case I had contamination and tried again, same result. Then I lapped the stone and re-honed on the pre-finisher, even worse and I could see tiny chips at 7x and feel ‘rubble’ in the slurry. Turns out that my off brand diamond plate ‘nagura’ has begun shedding particles. I’ve used it for a year or two and it’s performed well and just getting mellow, but not so now. I used a different diamond plate for slurry and the edge straightened up noticeably, so I re-set the bevel at 4k and proceeded to a fine edge.

Moral of the story, Stay with the name-brands for diamond plates, Atoma and DMT.

 

Here is the basics of it,, if you follow this it will get you there, the more you do the more you learn what you can get away with on each razor..

The biggest thing to understand is there is a difference between Edge Restoration and Honing..

The pics also show why using lower grit hones and plates during honing and bevel sets might not be a great idea to achieve a Smooth Edge, they tend to rip deep gouges into the steel that you actually don't really want as part of the real bevel... I can only explain it and show it, then watch others take credit for it hehehehe


https://sharprazorpalace.com/advanced-honing-topics/104827-edge-restoration-heavy-bevel-setting.html

 

Let me try and explain a few things with one pic and make it a learning experience on a few things

This is a Magic Marker Test (MMT) using the 1k Chosera and a Red Sharpie

As you can see as you look at the bevel (I would guess the pic at 80x)

We have a Red Marker, a clean steel strip and then a TINY bit of Red Marker again at the very apogee of the bevel
What does this tell us ??
#1 That the spine was lifted more than what it is now on the Chosera 1k
#2 That the bevel is NOT fully formed yet and it needs actual Bevel setting
#3 That the HEAVY Low Grit work is contained in the very tiny portion of the bevel in Red, and will be eliminated as the bevel is set fully and there will be no deep gouges hidden in there to create a harsh fragile edge.
#4 There was NO Burr formed to create that Harsh Fin and waste steel
#5 Now going back to another issue, THIS is also how we KNOW that Dovo and TI lift the spine on those Platten Grinders, this simple test explains why the "Shave Readiness" of these razors is hit or miss.
You will find tiny patches like this on their edges, from their process, it is plain to see, unless their Honer gets really lucky and cleans all that up the edge will never be fully "Shave Ready"



Simple Fact: the MMT shows you what you are doing right and wrong,,, use it





Hone On !!!

 

After about 150 strokes on the Chosera 1k w/slurry I have "Touchdown" a complete fully formed bevel, now I will switch to a normal Kamisori honing routine and bring it to shave ready

ie: "Edge Restoration" is done "Honing" begins




ps: I did about 5 MMT's during the process to confirm my work

 

Everyone is out of the house and finally quite. Time to work off the pumpkin pie and spend some quality time with the 1K. Setting the bevels on a Sheffield variety pack of near wedges, pair of W&B, a Wosty and a Southern & Richardson Finger Ring. Rolled, circled, and torqued a tree topping bevel out of them. Will go to the 3 and 8K next peaceful moment.

 

Well stated and informative

 

Kamisori Finished

Ok just some pics of it before it heads home

Tools used

Well worn DMT 325
Chosera 1-5-10
Nakayama w/ Kita slurry
Bench strop with Tanned Leather



Chosera 10k







Nakayama w/ Kita Slurry to a sweet Kasumi finish



I love using an actual Bench Strop on Kamisori





Thanks for following along and asking questions
I am really happy with the fix on it, lost VERY little steel, just by taking my time and doing it slow

 

Another two beautiful quality vintage French razors on the stones today, both mint factory edges, these will be top-notch shavers I'm sure.

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Heljestrand #7

 

Been a while since I pulled a Jnat out... sure was nice.

Used a Suehiro 6k to bring the edges back, then played with Nakayama slurry on this Okudo.

A Thiers Issard and Ralf Aust were the razors of choice.
Happy honing.
Tom

 

The shave with the TI last night was very enjoyable, so used the same setup for two more...

Should give these a go sometime this week.
Happy honing.
Tom

 

A fist full of .... Monkeys? Ah yes, the Gold Monkey, the top of the line Gold Dollar. Except these aren’t, they appear to be the same razor as a 208 with different scales and a higher price. Such are the occupational hazards of dealing directly with Chinese vendors. These have been in the ‘to do drawer for some time, along with a 4th, and I spent several relaxing (not) hours smoothing noses, trimming heels, straightening spines, and setting non-existent bevels.

So what better time for a hone shootout than with 3 freshly prepped identical razors? The top stone on the stand is a vintage maru-ka, the others are just favorites from the razor hone bunch. Results will take a couple of days, I’m only going to test two at a time. Today’s winner will go against the third tomorrow.

 

Avoiding the real honing work... holidays...

I pulled apart the honing station and added the table to the Thanksgiving setup in the great hall (well, the living room minus all its usual furniture). Finally got my table back, but the holiday winds are whirling.

So this Golddachs has the cute badger and it was on sale and the factory edge was the worst of any new SR I’ve purchased...

30 laps on the Naniwa 12k and the balsa strop progression brought it to shave ready. Not great, but the shave test verified: definitely ready and up for it. And I am once again hone ready and up for it in January.



Thanks for the detailed posts. This thread is a great learning opportunity.

 

Beautiful rocks.

I'm always amazed at the commitment required to get to know each one.

As you sort through naturals, do you find yourself able to 'cross one off the list'.

 

Thank you Bill, most aren’t very hardy to learn. I cross quite a few off, I buy a lot at auction with little no description, I’m just buying by ‘tells’, or indicators on the stone. Some are good knife hones but not quite ‘there’ for razors, and a few are duds for different reasons.

 

Some very minty razors you gentlemen are taking to the stones.

 

Thanks Keith. I feel lucky that this lot landed in my lap.

 

Took this Pearl Duck Dubl Duck through its paces today. It behaved very nicely on the Suehiro 1k bevel setter. Allowed a nice transition to the Suehiro 6k for refinement, and then went to this Okudo for a finish.

This Duck is far from perfect... but it comes in at 13/16, the scales have not yellowed that badly, and a lot of the gold & blue is intact.
Happy honing.
Tom