Thread: Honing direction

I usually hone blade first at about a 45 degree angle. I picked up a old Puma on Ebay, reset the bevel on a Naniwa 1k, worked up on Naniwa 5k, 8k, 12k, 20k Suehiro and Ark Black. Just could not get the thing to shave well. I decided to try using Murray Carter's technique of spine first with fingers lightly on the blade. I started with the 8k and did the Axe method. When done, I was amazed how good the blade was and how smooth it shaved. I'd like to know it others have found this to be true? Does this work better on older razors then new?

Yea, you never set the bevel, probably what did it was the extra pressure you put on the blade, not the direction. Posted about just than in a recent thread about pressure.

If you hone spine leading, you have to watch out for edge chipping.

Axe Method, stroke works well, just lift the blade on the back strokes with the finer hones. If you experience chipping, joint the edge and re-set on the finer stones.

Nice progression.

I have found that a few very light spine-leading finishing strokes can increase the edge sharpness. But I'm not sure if it isn't just doing the same thing as stropping on linen/canvas or a lightly pasted strop.

Spine leading draws out the steel to produce a wire edge. When it breaks off you have chippy edge. That's okay for a tree but not for your face.

And this is a honing issue, not a hone topic.

Yes, a few lite pressure, spine leading finishing strokes, work especially well on the GS20.

There we have it in a nutshell.