Thread: Newbie honing question

Originally Posted by metalfab

<snip> Is this true or am I kidding myself and should chalk up inconsistent results due to inexperience?

Yep. Some blades perform differently than others on the hones; imho of course.

Inexperience? Yeah, probably.
I'm not in a honemeister class either, but I do hone and maintain my own blades. It took me a while to get the hang of honing. I've noticed others on the board who claim a very short time.

It is a guess from me, but I would think that something like this is open to the individual and not set in stone (pardon the pun). In hindsight, I look back on my own learning process and I see that I did not recognize some self induced factors that were slowing down my learning process. I didn't recognize them because I was new. I am still learning and/or playing with honing so I don't know if I am new, seasoned, aged, crusty, or what ...

It took me a while to get a consistent shaving edge because I am the human equivalent of a bull in a china shop.

IMO, to use other's time line progress as a benchmark is a bit off target and leads to frustration. Just keep at it ... you will get it sooner or later.

I couldn't tell you how long it will take for you either. I know it took about six months for me to get consistant results. Still I find a razor now and then that is just stubborn. I have been a knife maker since 1980 and always honed my knives in an arc on the stone. That didn't work for me on razors. I finally learned to slide the razor across the stone in a straight line pulling it from heel to toe instead of the arc and it works for me now. I am certainly not a honemaster either but I get the job done and my razors are sharp and will pass the HHT and shave smoothly now. Practice is the only way even if you have the chance to learn from someone. You will still have to practice, practice, practice. Getting a knife really sharp is not hard to learn but getting a razor sharp enough for a smooth shave is. I think almost anyone can learn it but having some instruction from someone will greatly speed up the process.