Thread: Help with factory edge

I finally have successfully reset a bevel and honed to completion with a 12k.

I I have a prima klang arriving with a factory edge. What would you start with? 4k? 8k? Would I need to set a bevel with 1k (doubtful but I really don't know).

what would your process be to make a factory edge shave ready?

i normally do it with an 8000 or lately a very old scotch rock oilstone pretty fine,dont fancy anything corser,would be quicker i suppose,unless your doing it for a living and have a hundred to do i dont see the point,i dont know if i have a dodgy Prima Klang but my one isnt extra hollow nor singing good shaver though ,these Dovos take twice as long as Bokers to get a working bevel and keep giving you false positive thinking your there to find your not, good luck.

In the few factory edges I have successfully completed (I am a noob), I started on the Norton 4k and moved up quickly moved to 8k then 12k. On a reasonably stubborn TI, I had to move down to the 1k then back up through the progression. The 4k will at least make easily distinguishable striations on the blade. In my experience, the 8k too closely resembles a lot of factory edges.

I think the most appropriate thing to start with is a loupe. After a visual inspection of the edge you should be able to figure out what the next step is. Clean off any oil and give it a squint.

Originally Posted by RezDog

I think the most appropriate thing to start with is a loupe. After a visual inspection of the edge you should be able to figure out what the next step is. Clean off any oil and give it a squint.

This is exactly where to start, a decision on what stone to start with cannot be an assumption it has to be determined by what you are presented with.
Assuming that an edge will take less work because it's a factory edge is a false assumption.

I just honed the hardest razor that I have ever tackled and it was a brand new TI with a piece of bad steel in the edge just down from the toe.
This edge was straight from the maker and was just awful, no question about going back to bevel and even then the bad steel didn't show up for some time after I started the re-set.

I have had several new razors recently with factory edges that needed complete bevel re-sets and then refinement, and some of these were very expensive razors.
So don't assume anything, inspect and test first then proceed based on the sound findings, your edges will be better for it.

Personally I would start with re setting the bevel. Everything is based on the bevel being correct so instead of just polishing whats there I would start from scracth and know that your foundation is right

You could just start with a test shave initially to see how bad or good the factory edge really is and go from there.

Bob

Thank For the advice all. Used the loupe and the bevel didn't look too bad so I used the 8k for 40 laps, 12k for 30 followed by 30 on .5 and .25 diamond spray strops followed by 60 on plain linen then 75 on leather. Scary sharp and gave a great shave. Although I do I have a fairly long but superficial cut on the left side. The extra hollow requires more precision for sure.

Any time I get a Dovo factory edge I assume, through experience with their edges, that it's not shave ready and I go to my Chosera 1k and set a true bevel and hone the razor.

No reason to try and massage their factory edge. Just start from scratch and make it right.

You'll have to decide how you'll approach the same.

Regards,

Howard

I recently reset a bevel after a lite bread-knifing in 40 circles and 63 laps in about 3 minutes on a Norton 4K. Yes, it was an experiment, I usually spend a bit more time setting a bevel and use a 1K, but not too much more time.

Now, the bevels were already flat and the bevel angle already set, though I don’t know if it had been honed with tape, really it did not matter.

With a new factory honed razor, the bevel was set with the spine off the stone to preserve the spine, so the angle will be off a bit. What you want to check is, that you are honing all the way to the edge, because while the bevels are flat, you will have to reset the bevel angle with the spine on the stone. You will begin by honing the top of the bevel and grind the bevel flat to get to the edge.

The heavy lifting in honing is flattening the bevels and getting bread-knife edges to meet, as so much steel has to be removed. But once flat and close to the correct angle a 4, 8 or even 12k synthetic can do it fairly easily. A 4k is very aggressive.

The one thing you want to be sure of with a factory edge, is that you are honing all the way to the new edge, a touch of ink and some magnification, will quickly tell you.