Thread: The Rolling X

I picked this Case Bros up on the bay and it came to me in a dull condition but fortunately with no defects in the edge. I honed it up with the rolling method and it shaved very well. The shape of the blade caused a bit of trepidation on my part when I began the shave but it really was easy once I got going.

Thank you Russel, I've been trying to figure this one out for a while.

Jordan

Originally Posted by poona

Look forward to it David.

Good work RB.

Huge +1 on looking forward to your honing vid, David. We appreciate your contribution.

Chris L

Agreed, I'd love to see the honing seminar on film.

The great thing about the "rolling" motion is it can be done on skinny hones and wide hones alike, and at any angle you find necessary (some people find the 45 degree angle produces a smoother edge). And, in fact, the x pattern is essentially the same as holding the razor at an angle and moving it in straight line, makes the same scratch pattern anyway.

So I am glad to see at least a few people got something out of it.

Happy honing!

Russel

Much needed info, well explained. Thanks for taking the time, Russel.

Leon

If anyone cares, the hone in the pictures is the D8EE that I've come to be so fond of. But in reality I only use it for working out microchips and prepping rough blades. For maintaining razors I just use a coticule if there are no microchips.

And I've been using a small coticule slurry stone to make a slurry on it (see first set of pics), seems to make it a bit smoother than without.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

If anyone cares, the hone in the pictures is the D8EE that I've come to be so fond of. But in reality I only use it for working out microchips and prepping rough blades. For maintaining razors I just use a coticule if there are no microchips.

And I've been using a small coticule slurry stone to make a slurry on it (see first set of pics), seems to make it a bit smoother than without.

You use a coticule slurry stone on the D8EE to make it smoother? I'l have to try that.

It's only something I've done a few times, and it could just be that the slurry stone added a little more "break in" wear to the diamond surface. I'll have to do some more playing around before I can say that it does anything positive with any certainty.

I see a lot of hones in the background there, I'm praying that things don't go that far for me.

Very useful pics though, i have a W&B exactly like the one you showed, dark and old and looks like a butcher's chopper but seems ot be good steel. i only bought it a week ago in a flea market and have yet to try anything with it.

I thought that i would need to grind out the hollow a littel since mine doesn't have much ofone left from a lot of use, but can Ijust give it a good equal bevel and use it with a thicker blade/less hollow?

Would this act more like a wedge too and keep the blade sharper for longer?

Originally Posted by gingahippy

I see a lot of hones in the background there, I'm praying that things don't go that far for me.

I thought that i would need to grind out the hollow a littel since mine doesn't have much ofone left from a lot of use, but can Ijust give it a good equal bevel and use it with a thicker blade/less hollow?

Would this act more like a wedge too and keep the blade sharper for longer?

HAD isn't a real disorder until you have more stones than razors... I passed that point long ago...

About your WB, it shouldn't need to be reground, as long as you can form a smooth bevel at the edge, it's usable.

Without seeing the condition of the blade, I can't be too specific but most of these old English blades are best started on something like a 1k hone or sandpaper to set a good bevel because there's so much metal to be removed (anything higher will just take longer to do the same job).

You'll have to spend more time at each grit level for the same reason, more metal in contact with the hone, but the end result is worth it.

I can't really say that a wedge holds it's edge noticeably longer, but I can say that they are my favorite blades for comfort when they're honed properly, so you've got that to look forward to.