02-16-2020, 07:08 PM
Hello all,
I have a question concerning wire edges on straight razors. For some odd reason i always have a very very small micro burr towards the heel of my razor when I finish honing. I only use 10x magnification and I have a bare/clear incandescent 150watt light bulb over my honing area. The very tiniest burrs can be seen if your under the correct lighting. I understand the art of honing it is to know when to quit honing, but even if everything is done right they may still be microscopic bits of burr/fin that doesn't want to detach from the apex. Some guys recommend dragging the edge through end grain wood, but i think that fractures the edge. I was reading also so will draw the edge through animal horn. I gave tried both and I am not a fan its just not to effective.
I understand the burrs are maybe not hardened steel any more, because the metal has went through plastic deformation. They just don't want to let get(especially the micro ones!) I don't try and aim for a burr while honing straights but it sometimes happens. For example a rather large burr on a knife, chisel etc - when your alternating sides the burr can and will flip from side of side until it is cut off, but with a very tiny micro burr on a knife, razor or any tool - it seems to not flop from one side to the other while alternating strokes, but it tends to stay 'on one side' - these type of burrs that don't flop when alternating side, but stay on one side, well IME even bare leather or linen want coax then off for some reason. I hope that i am making sense! I am not to good at articulating what I am trying to say or write. I like to finish on natural stones, but at times I use synthetic to finish. My sequence is 1.5k, 5k, then Jnat, with koma sluuy and last tomo. I like my razor to at least pass a hht1-2ish after stropping at 5k, and I try to make sure there's no burrs at 5k, but sometimes they are very very micro. My question is what do you think of stropping on bare wood, with no compound? Not just any wood but one of the hardest wood on earth (lignum vitae?) Does this sound like a crazy idea? I figured a really hard wood would cut off any bits of detached burr?? IMO this doesn't look like a normal wire edge but it looks like fuzzy glints only in sections, if that makes sense. How can something so weak be so hard to coax off? I figured the lignum wood may help remove it, because of its lubrication properties and it's hardness may help??
Thanks
Mike
I have a question concerning wire edges on straight razors. For some odd reason i always have a very very small micro burr towards the heel of my razor when I finish honing. I only use 10x magnification and I have a bare/clear incandescent 150watt light bulb over my honing area. The very tiniest burrs can be seen if your under the correct lighting. I understand the art of honing it is to know when to quit honing, but even if everything is done right they may still be microscopic bits of burr/fin that doesn't want to detach from the apex. Some guys recommend dragging the edge through end grain wood, but i think that fractures the edge. I was reading also so will draw the edge through animal horn. I gave tried both and I am not a fan its just not to effective.
I understand the burrs are maybe not hardened steel any more, because the metal has went through plastic deformation. They just don't want to let get(especially the micro ones!) I don't try and aim for a burr while honing straights but it sometimes happens. For example a rather large burr on a knife, chisel etc - when your alternating sides the burr can and will flip from side of side until it is cut off, but with a very tiny micro burr on a knife, razor or any tool - it seems to not flop from one side to the other while alternating strokes, but it tends to stay 'on one side' - these type of burrs that don't flop when alternating side, but stay on one side, well IME even bare leather or linen want coax then off for some reason. I hope that i am making sense! I am not to good at articulating what I am trying to say or write. I like to finish on natural stones, but at times I use synthetic to finish. My sequence is 1.5k, 5k, then Jnat, with koma sluuy and last tomo. I like my razor to at least pass a hht1-2ish after stropping at 5k, and I try to make sure there's no burrs at 5k, but sometimes they are very very micro. My question is what do you think of stropping on bare wood, with no compound? Not just any wood but one of the hardest wood on earth (lignum vitae?) Does this sound like a crazy idea? I figured a really hard wood would cut off any bits of detached burr?? IMO this doesn't look like a normal wire edge but it looks like fuzzy glints only in sections, if that makes sense. How can something so weak be so hard to coax off? I figured the lignum wood may help remove it, because of its lubrication properties and it's hardness may help??
Thanks
Mike