Bart's Wedge Angle Calculator FTW

[standardgewehr]

FTW meaning "For The Win" (as in the US tv show "Hollywood Squares", not the alternate meaning "F the World" bahahaha )

I started a honing session last night, with three Ebay aquisitions... one turned out to be the poster child for Smythe's recent post about razors to avoid.

Razor number one, a round point "GRADEG" with "Sunday" on the spine, was completely unremarkable, it honed up fine using the Dilucot method. Number two, a square point LM Taylor (Cincinatti, O.) seemed to hone itself. Incredible edge with little effort. Sort of astounding how some razors seem to take more (or less) work that others!

Razor number three, a 5/8" square point Brummel Werke "Beau Brummel" #40 was advertised as in prime condition. It turned out to have minor pitting and a frown that had to be breadknifed out. Neither were visible in the auction photos... I may stay away from the used razors for a while, although this was good experience. Well, at least it's pretty.

I honed for hours trying to cut arm hair, before using my wee little brain and setting the bevel on a DMT extra fine diamond plate, then firing up Bart's wonderful angle calculator... shaving sharp in no time at all with the Unicot and two layers of tape!

I really don't know how I got by before the Internet (and Coticule.be)!!!

Edited to correct my horrible grammar.

 

[Bart]

Congratulations! Those are nice razor, and it looks like you did very well with honing them.

:thumbup:
Bart.

 

[tat2Ralfy]

Edited to correct my horrible grammar.

Thats no way to speak of your grandparent! hahahahahaha

Seriously, good work buddy, its a-maze-zing how a little missed step cocks it all up eh?

 

[Smythe]

There that Beau Brummel should be a great shaver… one of the few straight razors marketed by Werk.
George Byron Brummel (aka Beau Brummel), was the “men’s” fashion leader in the 1700s to 1800s, (the Ultimate Man of Style), and according to biography in WikiPedia… “His fastidious attention to cleaning his teeth, shaving, and bathing daily became popular”… it’s no wonder a razor was named after him.

Indeed you are discovering that some razors are a joy to hone, and sometimes you meet razors that will have you questioning your honing abilities.

You have a nice collection there my friend.

 

[standardgewehr]

Thanks Smythe, one of these days I'll have to start taking pictures of my "accumulation" and posting them.

The Brummel ended up providing a mediocre shave, and I've put it back on the shelf as a future project. Right now I am segregating my razors into "shave ready" and "needs work" categories, one by one. Should keep me busy for a while... good thing too, because today I found out my sewer line needs to be re-lined due to penetration by roots... to the tune of thousands of dollars. OUCH.

I am indeed discovering that some razors are a joy to hone, some not so much. My problem child of the moment is a Hart Steel Razor, which is really much more like a wedge than a hollow. The factory advocates honing with a layer of tape, and I have done so... and man my admittedly imperfect Dilucot has gotten it smooth, but not nearly as sharp as it ought to be. Gonna have to try some of Bart's advanced techniques I think!

My Grammar... LOL! :

 

[Smythe]

Not to worry, many times the second honing session brings out the best in an edge. Remember after a BreadKnife the edge is "duller" than the other two so it will take more effort to get it shave ready.

oh the pain of owning you own house, I guess i have something to look forward to when i move out of my apartment.... But please, don't cut down the tree... it's the price we pay for clean air.

 

[tat2Ralfy]

Another thing to add, unfortunately if your dilocut is a little off the edge will be way off, before trying another dilocut hone on the razor, why not add a layer of tape and finish like unicot? the 2 edges shave with no difference and you know your getting just about the max out of the blade, then try to match the shave with a dilocut hone.

I worked through my rotation of razors after learning to hone on unicot, then I rehoned with dilocut working my way through again, hone-test shave, if its a pass the next shave I use the next razor, if its a fail I either try a touch up or re-hone, and test shave again until I am happy with the shave, for me getting 20+ razors at a level I am happy with using dilocut is a challenge enough, some of them are on the 3rd hone, and I still have to use paste to get what I feel is the best out them, some of them hone straight up and glide like silk over my skin, I know some will never be as "Good" as others because not any 2 razors are the same, esp when you have like me, a mix of antique through to new, English,German and now Spanish.

 

[Bart]

I like your strategy, Ralfson. :thumbup:

 

[tat2Ralfy]

Thank You Sherlock, it seemed a good way to learn and compare, and my collection is assorted enough for me to gain plenty of experience too.
I am currently only a couple of razors away from completing the rotation, then I plan to choose my "Best" shaver and see how close I can get the others to it, of course I know they wont all make the grade, but that itself will show me which ones I could sell on and replace with others to join my experiments.

 

[standardgewehr]

This sounds like a wise course of action to emulate... and I shall give it a whirl.

I will admit, tape makes me a little melancholy. Somehow I feel that anything less than maximum sharpness with just the stone, the blade, and elbow grease is cheating a little... oh well, Rome wasn't burnt in a day! Onward and sharpward!