Thread: Whipped Dog "Quarter Nortons"

Originally Posted by Birnando

Agreed, Jimmy!
A 4x1.5 just isn't gonna cut it in my book.
Too darn small...
Especially considering this crippled Norton thingy is meant for everything from bevel-setting to polishing.
That is a whole lot of passes that could go south, and in a hurry.

One of the things I've come away with in learning new crafts, whether it was doing structural steel erection, installing expensive carpet, learning to tattoo, or to play the guitar, is that if you learn "right' , from experts, with the proper equipment, you are less likely to develop bad habits/techniques.

Honing is a skill and a craft that relies on muscle memory, hand eye coordination, and to a certain extent feedback from the hone into the hand through the razor. So having the right stuff is a better idea IMHO. Starting out with a dwarf hone is going to handicap the guy who is learning. Can you break bad habits down the road ? Probably, but learning right, with the correct tools for the job to begin with, is a better way to go.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

One of the things I've come away with in learning new crafts, whether it was doing structural steel erection, installing expensive carpet, learning to tattoo, or to play the guitar, is that if you learn "right' , from experts, with the proper equipment, you are less likely to develop bad habits/techniques.

Honing is a skill and a craft that relies on muscle memory, hand eye coordination, and to a certain extent feedback from the hone into the hand through the razor. So having the right stuff is a better idea IMHO. Starting out with a dwarf hone is going to handicap the guy who is learning. Can you break bad habits down the road ? Probably, but learning right, with the correct tools for the job to begin with, is a better way to go.

I agree. Back when I was practicing martial arts there was a saing that kept coming up: it takes a 1000 punches to learn how to punch right, and 10000 punches to correct a punch learned not correctly (I'm having trouble translating it, but you get the point...)
I, too, believe in slow learning. But as a complete newbie with no knowlege whatsoever on honing, i had no idea, for example, that a smaller stone increases the number of passes required, and that increased passes amount is more risky...
So I asked

Originally Posted by Haim

I agree. Back when I was practicing martial arts there was a saing that kept coming up: it takes a 1000 punches to learn how to punch right, and 10000 punches to correct a punch learned not correctly (I'm having trouble translating it, but you get the point...)
I, too, believe in slow learning. But as a complete newbie with no knowlege whatsoever on honing, i had no idea, for example, that a smaller stone increases the number of passes required, and that increased passes amount is more risky...
So I asked

And that is the whole point of this site.
Asking questions.
As this thread proves, you may get answers that vary slightly
That is a good thing.
Hopefully though, most will walk away from it with a better understanding of the matter than they had before asking!

They say all roads lead to Rome and I guess they do however you might not want to take the one which is all rutted up, has landslides, highwaymen and needs you to cross a stream. Though the road gets to Rome you might not.

Originally Posted by Haim

Has anyone had any experience with those?
They are 220/1000, a 4000/8000 and a lapping stone (all nortons), all come from original Norton stones cut in 4.
The size of the honing stones is 1.5"x4".

It fits exactly in my budget, and is exactly the right price for me to buy without paying import charges...
Question is - is it too good to be true?

Honing was difficult for me to learn and I still get frustrated sometimes, and that's with full-sized hones.

I learned most of what I know from videos, and I would be lost if the person doing the instructing said to give a razor 15 laps. I'm not sure that 15 x 4 = 60 laps on a quarter hone would do the same job.

For that reason I wouldn't buy a quarter hone. At least for me, that would be a bad idea.

I learned a lot by honing on 4"x1" DMT's but the most important thing I learned was that hones that size are a waste of time & money as I eventually bought regular size stones & the DMT's sit unused now.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Please show me an instructional Video or a Thread where anyone with experience says this,,, Please, I am NOT being Rude or Condescending here, I just want to know where this info came from...

I have noticed this in several posts not only about Hones but also about Strops and I am wondering if there is something/somebody saying this, or if it is a case of many newbs just parroting bad info..

If you don't want to link it here, please take the time to send me a PM I am honestly very interested on where it comes from...

well, when you have a smaller hone to work with simple logic dictates that X-strokes make sense since that way you hone the entire blade with each stroke instead of just part of it. this change of technique is not based on authority, I'm not an authority but if you get a small hone I'm willing to state this is the way to go.

if you realy want an authorety stating the benefits of the x stroke, see: http://www.coticule.be/strokes.html

We don't need an authority. We have experience.

Regardless of the size of the hone or the strop, an x-stroke is more effective than a straight stroke.

Originally Posted by Bram

well, when you have a smaller hone to work with simple logic dictates that X-strokes make sense since that way you hone the entire blade with each stroke instead of just part of it. this change of technique is not based on authority, I'm not an authority but if you get a small hone I'm willing to state this is the way to go.

if you realy want an authorety stating the benefits of the x stroke, see: http://www.coticule.be/strokes.html

I'll leave it up to Glen to comment directly on your reply to his question.

But I do wanna say this though:
A wider stone doesn't stop you from doing x-strokes.
In fact, most of us do that most of the time anyway.
Naturally the degree depends on the blade profile and a number of other factors.

The point I think you are missing, is that the wider stone provides support that the more narrow does not.
On a 3" stone I might just use a fourth of the width for actual steel removal.
But the rest of the width provides a base to rest the razor while performing my x-stroke of varying grade.
That, to a rookie honer, is essential in my book.
And the wider stone will provide a shaveable edge more often than what they will see on those cut up toy stones from Larry.

Neglecting that is not being economical, it is witholding vital information from our new members trying to get a good edge to shave with.

Originally Posted by Utopian

We don't need an authority. We have experience.

Regardless of the size of the hone or the strop, an x-stroke is more effective than a straight stroke.

There is your answer Bram you just read the question wrong or I wasn't absolutely clear, I thought I made it clear with the Bold but maybe not

Bingo !! or some type of Angled, Swooping, Sliding stroke that covers the entire bevel of the razor, that info is everywhere and common knowledge in Razordom,, what I want to know is where is the "Straight Stroke" on a 3" Hone or a 3" Strop is coming from ??? I keep reading it and I am wondering why ???