Thread: Honing sequence for refreshing (beginner)

Depending on the hone, 8 might not be enough, test after 8 and assess the edge

Originally Posted by Dramadon3151

Yeah my straights already shave ready. So after watching lynn's video on refresh techniques, I have a better idea on what I should do. Was just wondering what other ppl do. My plan is about 8 passes and then go to the strop.

Tape the spine, there is no point in needlessly grinding your spine while learning to hone.

Don’t get caught up in the formula trap, x laps for x problems, buy some good magnification, look at the edge, before you put the razor to the stone… then do what the razor needs. If the razor has a large chip, 8 laps will not remove it. If it has a chip, it is not a refresh honing, it is a repair, then it can be honed. Do some reading on how to hone as John suggested.

For not much more that the price of a GD you can buy a beater, and once you learn to hone, restore the beater and end up with a nice razor.

Honing a Gold Dollar will teach you how to repair a GD, not much about honing though. Yes, it has been done and is doable… but why.

If cost is your issue, quality is not that much more expensive and often cheaper in the long run.

Bottom line, if you want to learn to hone, learn on razors you will be honing, if you want to repair GDs, go for it. Yes you can rescale and customize a GD, but in the end you still have a Gold Dollar…

Originally Posted by Dramadon3151

I got myself a king 6k, shapton 8k, and shapton 12k. I've been hand honing my own sport knives for years now but never my own straight. Does this seem like a decent sequence for keeping a good sharp or should I incorporate something else?

The shapton 12k used as soon as the razor starts lagging and proper stropping should be all you need for a good while unless you damage the edge.

Should you wish to learn full honing progression following Euclids advice.

I have honed gds and spent longer fixing it than honing it. That is assuming you won the crap shoot and got one that will take a good edge and hold it.