Thread: Heal leading vs 90 degree strokes...

I've watched Glen's videos on the Shaptons and I noticed that he uses a heal leading stroke - just curious on when to use a heal leading stroke vs a conventional 90 degree angle stroke or does it not matter at all?

TIA

-john

I never really use a straight stroke or a 90° stroke just varying degrees of heel forward..


To really simplify though, the edge of the razor must move evenly and equally across the face of the hone, Period .... you must apply the correct amount of honing gymnastics to accomplish this

I also like to lead with the heel purely because it makes more sense because if you hold your razor completely flat at a 90 degree you almost fill the entire hone so when you start to move the blade forward there's little or no margin for error things can and do occasionally go wrong.

On top of that, the heel leading 45 degree (or whatever) stroke gives you a lot more options IMO and it sort of "fits" with many people's natural hand movements.

I also used to think that the angle of the striations/scratch pattern created on the edge by this kind of honing somehow lead to a better shave, but I cannot prove it and I'm not so sure about that anymore anyway.

James.

Pulling a razor across the hone is easier than pushing it.

I hone everything like this. 45 degrees or even almost sideways. Its easy to rock the edge if you have to.

You made me think about how I hone my razors. For me if the razor has any sort of smile to it I use a heel forward because it helps me do a rolling x-stroke. If there is no smile I will still use a heel forward stroke but just not as much or even none at all.

I have heard knife sharpeners say the same thing. but no proof as you said.

For me, it depends on the condition of the blade (e.g. warp, smile, etc.) and which stone I use. I do 45 degree heal-leading strokes for warps and smiles. Most of my normal honing is done with 90 degree X-strokes, but once in a while I like to mix it up and do 45 degree heal-leading strokes.

When I first started honing I used to do 90 degree straight strokes all the time, but that took too long and I learned better.

I tend to use both and both as x strokes as I think it a foolproof way to get the entire edge. Also start as heel foward and swipe till straight at end of stroke. Then again maybe thats just my ocd.