Thread: Heel leading half strokes

Hello i have found that heel leading half strokes makes honing some blades much easier. I do the rolling x after each set and grit 10 laps or so. The shaves are just as good as regular or x strokes. Some blades are rocking slightly even after being honed. I stropped them with narrow strop x stroke and on a regular 3 inch strop with no noticeable difference in hht or shave with either. Is there a down side to doing it this way? Thanks.

45° Heel leading works for me, especially on smiling or geometrically challenged razors I add that swooping action at the end and have very few issues with rocking or rolling...

I like the 45 degree angle because it does really work on problematic razors. You can use it with smileys or roll it with worn spine type blades or even concentrate on particular portions of the edge or bevel that needs help. The windshield wiper stroke is another good one that really picks up the entire edge through the stroke. Lot's of ways to skin the proverbial edge........

Have fun.

I've seen the term dozens of times and I'm still ignorant: What's a half stroke?

Originally Posted by HNSB

I've seen the term dozens of times and I'm still ignorant: What's a half stroke?

A half stroke is when you do not flip the blade at the end of the stroke to do the other side. Instead you do the same side repeatedly.

Are you drawing the edge on the stone on the way back ????

Just like Japanese Honing ??? or is this different in that you pick up the edge and start at the end of the hone again ????


ie: is this another name for Back and Forth, or Japanese honing, or is this something else???

YEs for the half strokes. Then I do regular laps heel leading but not dragging. I been doing about 20 per grit no pressure after the 1k. And usually 10 after the set of half strokes on that particular grit. I use now chosera 1k,3k 10k. Im waiting for a suehiro 20k any day. You were right about the dmts and a lot of other things! I don't find the 3k to 10 k to be a problem or do you think I need a 5k? I see you honed those restores on the 1,5,10 then coti as posted yesterday.

I wouldn't spend the money for both the 3 and 5 in the Chosera line, I know I did for the Super Stones but I was on a HAD breakdown back then both are just not really "NEEDED"

I flipped flopped back and forth between the 3k or the 5k myself..


It is good timing you brought this up I was just showing the guys at the Denver meet, how I have been using the Heel Forward swooping stokes, Japanese style after doing Lynn's 20 circles system on the bevel set.. It seems to really even up the bevel and the edge when doing "Geometrically Challenged" razors I also do about 10 sets per side then move over to normal laps..


I really like that term hehehe "Geometrically Challenged" don't mind me I crack myself up sometimes

Sometimes I do these instead of circles. I get the same results and it breaks the monotony.

I suggest we rename half strokes to double strokes after all the same side gets ground twice.