Thread: Hand Held Honing

I recently have had the privilege (thanks to a friend and mentor) of using a blue/green Escher. It is a small stone and works best in the hand. I have quickly become kind of a convert of hand held honing. I am wondering, if among the forum, there is some kind of consensus about the optimum size hone for hand held honing?

I have a few Jnats and I like to hold them in my hand when Im working the slurry. Its a great way for the stone and the steel to meet. And if you are working slurry, you have good control over where the slurry is and wont lose it over the side. My arm gets tired sometimes and I have to stop but its very intense IMO. As far as optimum goes, my SRD coti is perfect. One Jnat is about that size the others are larger but its doable.

As long as it's not to heavy I like to hold them in my hand but be very careful not to let any part of the hand higher than the hones surface...

It depends on a few things I suppose. The size of your hand would be the most obvious thing.

I sit my lower grit stones (mainly diamond plates and synthetics like the Norton) in a stone holder as I like to use two hands on sub 10K stones (bit more pressure). After that I hold the finishers and hone one-handed, usually starting at the Escher and moving upwards to the Jnats (most of which are rather large chunks of rock). I think it's just a habit that developed over time rather than any "secret honing technique" thing.

That said, I will sometimes hold the Norton 8K side in my hand too. I'd say that for me I wouldn't want to be holding a stone much larger than that in one hand. So I'd say that the Norton 4/8 would be the largest size I'd hold.

James.

I've been holding my rock when I hone pretty much all the time lately. After I watched Birnando hone like that, at a New Jersey razor meet, I had to try it. It blew my mind. He had such control , and was so graceful in his strokes. I will never ever, ever be that fluid. But I keep trying...

I have never been comfortable holding a stone and honing on it. Each to his own I suppose. I keep them slathered with water and it seems a bit messy. I do find I like a somewhat cushioned surface under the stone for finishing. It seems to bring the hone to the razor more and give better feedback which I guess is what hand-held is all about?
AND, being the klutz I am, I would wind up with 2 short Eschers!

I find I use my course stones more often on the tray, and my finish hones in my hands. Don't know why, just seems to be a thing with me.

The way I learned in the beginning was with the Norton 4/8 on the counter top. I've got some 5x2 1/2" finishers that I sometimes hand hold though. One nice thing about hand holding is you have tactile feel two ways. It can grow tiresome if the stone is heavy, or if you are going to be at it a long while. I think hand held is as good a way as any, maybe even better than the alternative, but really just a matter of what you're used to. The end result seems to be the same either way.

To me it is not about size, but Grit.
What I mean is, setting a bevel or sharpening is done with hone on a flat surface but when I go into the finishing stages I will more often than not hold the hone in one hand.

Barbers hones are meant to be held in the hand. That's how barbers used them. For heavier work I think most would rather have a stone lying on a counter or table. Personally, I never liked holding a stone in my hand no matter the size or grit or length of time. It's just one of those personal preferences I guess.