Thread: Rolling an edge

What exactly does rolling an edge mean?
How will I know if I did it?
Is it repairable with a pasted strop, 16k stone, or does it need completely re-honed?

Normally, this happens when you lift up the razor when stropping or honing vs. changing directions by rolling the razor on it's spine.

Most of the time, you can fix it by going back to your finishing stone or the 8K and then your finishing stone and whatever paste/spray you use. Some have had success with back honing on the finishing stone and then using the paste/spray and stropping.

Have fun,

Lynn

Yes, specifically, lifting the spine from the strop while the edge is still in contact will 'roll' the edge. I have recently notice that this usually makes a distinctive scraping sound, but I didn't notice it for a long time so don't count on that cuing you.

While learning to strop, I damaged my edge repeatedly by using too much downward pressure (rather than lifting the spine). This might not technically constitute a rolled edge, but in any case the edge always came back with just a Naniwa 12k. Using little more than the weight of the blade has rectified the situation.

Gosh you got some experts to reply!

In my limited experience -- a visit to the canvas side
of the strop will sort out some problems... so start there
strop on canvas then leather and shave test.

Then in reverse work your way back up through
a modest set of hones until you get it back to shave ready.

If you have a 12K give it five, six maybe ten strokes on the 12K then strop
on canvas then leather and shave test. same for a barber hone...
A Chinese 12K could take more laps... or more visits..

If that does not do it a short pyramid on a Norton Combo (4k/8K)
or equivalent hone might be in order. See the WiKi and search for pyramid.

In my limited experience a visit to the hone too quickly is not
a good thing. Honing a slightly rolled edge will hone off the
rolled bit and the result will be less sharp than a visit to
clean canvas might produce.

For an edge that has been rolled badly (the way it might be if you
ran the edge over glass) it may take one or more full
pyramid progressions on a Norton Combo or a trip back to 1K
to recover the edge.

Lynn's comment on backhoning is gold.

Backhoning is the same procedure as stropping with the edge trailing the spine, just on a hone...Correct?