Thread: Honing the blade

OK let's assume some things..
1. The razor is in pretty good shape or you would have never got the first shave under your belt
2. The hones you have a fairly flat and clean
3. You at least have the basic thought process down on what honing is about


First starting on the 4k stone using about the same pressure you would as sanding a piece of wood I want you to do 20 circles down the hone nice and even with the heel slightly forward...
Watch the Vid of Lynn and I in NC on the webcast if there is any question on what this looks like... Lynn came up with this system and it is pretty darn effcient...
Flip the razor and do the same back up the stone...

Rinse the stone

Do 20 more circles down the stone using light pressure flip the blade and do 20 circles back up the stone...

Stop and look at the edge it should look nice and even and slightly rough on the bevel (Don't touch it)

Now rinse the stone

Do 5 laps heel forward do 5 X laps very light pressure
rinse the stone
Do 5 laps heel forward do 5 X laps very light pressure

STOP !!!!


Wipe off the edge and see if it now cuts arm hair check at least 3 spots along the edge, toe, middle, and heel (I do 5 spots).. just clip a few arm hairs with it if you can

If it is close try another 5x5 set

If it is now cutting arm hair then do the 8k with about 2-3 sets of 5x5 so 20-30 laps very light pressure and test shave...

If it isn't cutting arm hair then something is more off then we think and it needs to be Pro sharpened..

Let us know how it goes...

Just a quick question. By "laps" do you mean running the blade across in the X pattern or just straight across? And just to make sure, by 5 X 5, you essentially mean run the blade across 25 times on each side?

1 lap = once up the stone flip the blade and back down the stone,,,, 5x5 means 5 laps heel forward, then 5 laps X stroke...

Heel forward 45 degree so that the edge is not dead straight as you hone, I switch every five laps you don't have to, it just makes sure that you do NOT hone a frown into the edge, nor wear out the toe... Trust me here it took ,me longer to type that whole thing than it does to hone the razor...

Many people just use an X stroke or a straight stroke or the 45 degree stroke, it is just my own pesonal preference to switch between the stokes every 5 laps...

Thanks for the instructions. Well, I tried it, but it still won't cut. Perhaps I just need a lower grit stone, say 1000 grit? And just to make sure my technique is more or less correct, it doesn't matter what angle I hold the blade to the stone as long as I keep it consistent right? When I used to put the razor flat on the stone, I didn't feel that it was honing it, for all I heard was the bridge scraping against the stone.

STOP !!!!!

Send it out,

Take some time while it is traveling back and forth the do some reading in the Honing Forum and the Wiki about honing razors...

The bridge ??? Which I think you mean the spine has to be on the hone, dead flat, but it is way to late for that now... Your razor needs a complete re-set

OK let's assume some things..
1. The razor is in pretty good shape or you would have never got the first shave under your belt
2. The hones you have a fairly flat and clean
3. You at least have the basic thought process down on what honing is about

I should never assume!!!!
I should never assume !!!!
I should never assume!!!

(Still writing this on the chalkboard 100 times)