Thread: Bow in DOVO G147b Razor Edge

Hello,

Im new to staight razors and I hope this question has not been answered before. I tried to search for a thread for several days now but have come up with nothing useful. I hope someone here can help me out because I'm really getting annoyed. While honing my razor I noticed that only the left and right edges were being honed on one side while only the middle was being honed on the other. I looked closer at the cutting edge and noticed a slight bow in the overall cutting edge. Carefully holding a striaght edge to the blade only confirmed that the edge is slightly bowed. My question to everyone is " Is this normal to see or did I get a defective blade? And if it is normal am I just honing incorrectly? Please let me know. Thanks in advanced.

Compwatch,

The matter of whether all razors are warped to a degree has been discussed many times here at SRP.

In my collection of some eighty razors, I have one razor with a slightly warped toe (Dovo Best) and one with a slight bow (Wade & Butcher).

A bowed blade is a pain, and most of the seasoned Honemeisters here at SRP seem to recommend a 'rolling X stroke'

Rolling X stroke - Straight Razor Place Wiki

to deal with these.

The much more knowledgable Honemeisters here at SRP will be able to give you a better and fuller reply

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

The best way to deal with a less then perfect blade is probably sending it out
After that its practice in honing tecknique

Welcome to SRP. I have to agree with the two previous posters. Unless you have a particular urge to learn to hone on a tougher project send it out. You can find members who offer honing in the SRP classifieds here.

If you are going to hone it yourself take a magic marker and put a line of black on each side of the bevel. Observe how the honing stroke you are using removes the color. When you find a stroke that works to insure contact with the blade on both sides you have something to go with. Chances are the bevel won't be even in size from one end to the other or from one side to the other. That doesn't prevent the blade from being brought to shave ready.

Thank you for all the advice. I think it will be better if I try and learn how to hone vs sending it out. You know what they about the whole give a man a fish and teach him how to fish. I will try that magic marker way and see where I get. Thanks Again

Hello Again,

I tried the magic marker approach on a 1000 grit norton stone and noticed that the entire edge was being covered when I applied some pressure with my thumbs in the center of the blade on the pull stroke. And the same thing when I applied pressure to the ends on the push stroke ( I hold the razor with the handle in my right hand). My question to you is. Is this a good method to use or will I damage the blade? The coverage on both side looks good with the light reflecting evenly all the way accross the edge ( minus a milimeter from the shoulder which I cant seem to get). Please let me know what you think. I tried the rolling x stroke but didn't have as good of a result.

Only way to get it is with the rolling X. You will have to work at it till you get it.

You wont be able to get away with your having your finger on certain points, or applying pressure in areas if you want a smooth finish.
When you get to the higher grit stones you need super light pressure, ie only the weight of the razor, while going over the hone. If you apply any pressure at this stage it will make for an uncomfy shave.
The best place to find out if your contacting all parts of the edge is, as you found, on the lower grits, with a marker or loupe. So if you can do no pressure and contact the whole edge then you will know you can do it on the higher grits.

Therefore it will need a rolling X stroke.
Now the razor is a C shape, so a rolling X will only get one side, ie when your doing the outside of the curve. When you are doing the inside of the curve, ie the second part of the pass, you will need to do the opposite and gently run of the edge of the hone with a down ward rolling motion. Its only minor. For this you want to make sure your have rounded the edges of your hone well, and you want real light pressure, cause you can mess it up real quick. And all it takes is one bad stroke and the edge is done for. The other thing that makes it much easier to get this side of the blade is a thin stone, say 1” or less. That way only a small amount of the edge is on the hone at one time.

So id strongly suggest to send it out and get it honed by someone. It is a very hard learning curve to hone a razor, and at first its more luck then skill. Honestly, you would be best of, in my opinion, to learn on another razor.

Enjoy the learning mate, it is real fun (and frustrating )

Originally Posted by Buckler

Only way to get it is with the rolling X. You will have to work at it till you get it.

You wont be able to get away with your having your finger on certain points, or applying pressure in areas if you want a smooth finish.
When you get to the higher grit stones you need super light pressure, ie only the weight of the razor, while going over the hone. If you apply any pressure at this stage it will make for an uncomfy shave.
The best place to find out if your contacting all parts of the edge is, as you found, on the lower grits, with a marker or loupe. So if you can do no pressure and contact the whole edge then you will know you can do it on the higher grits.

Therefore it will need a rolling X stroke.
Now the razor is a C shape, so a rolling X will only get one side, ie when your doing the outside of the curve. When you are doing the inside of the curve, ie the second part of the pass, you will need to do the opposite and gently run of the edge of the hone with a down ward rolling motion. Its only minor. For this you want to make sure your have rounded the edges of your hone well, and you want real light pressure, cause you can mess it up real quick. And all it takes is one bad stroke and the edge is done for. The other thing that makes it much easier to get this side of the blade is a thin stone, say 1” or less. That way only a small amount of the edge is on the hone at one time.

So id strongly suggest to send it out and get it honed by someone. It is a very hard learning curve to hone a razor, and at first its more luck then skill. Honestly, you would be best of, in my opinion, to learn on another razor.

Enjoy the learning mate, it is real fun (and frustrating )

Unfortunatly that is the only razor I have and they are not exactly the cheapest things to get. But I will round out the edges on my hone a little more and follow your advice with the light pressure. Its only a matter of time before I get it. Lets just hope I dont get to the end of the spine before figuring it out.

Thanks Again

Originally Posted by Compwatch

Unfortunatly that is the only razor I have and they are not exactly the cheapest things to get. But I will round out the edges on my hone a little more and follow your advice with the light pressure. Its only a matter of time before I get it. Lets just hope I dont get to the end of the spine before figuring it out.

Thanks Again

USE TAPE!

If you want to keep your spine that is

Originally Posted by Buckler

Now the razor is a C shape, so a rolling X will only get one side, ie when your doing the outside of the curve. When you are doing the inside of the curve, ie the second part of the pass, you will need to do the opposite and gently run of the edge of the hone with a down ward rolling motion. Its only minor. For this you want to make sure your have rounded the edges of your hone well, and you want real light pressure, cause you can mess it up real quick. And all it takes is one bad stroke and the edge is done for. The other thing that makes it much easier to get this side of the blade is a thin stone, say 1” or less. That way only a small amount of the edge is on the hone at one time.

I disagree with this. First, the rolling X can be used for both sides of the "C shape." Second, you don't need a narrow hone. If you want to use a narrow hone when all you have is a 3" wide hone, then draw a line 1" from the edge. Now hone as if that 1" region is the entirety of the hone. The stroke you will be doing will be doing to accomplish that is the rolling X.