Thread: Todays words of wisdom on honing...

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Well, that just sounds like an odd way of expressing it to me!

Your 'forcing it to fail' is simply my 'seeing if its ready to progress' if it ain'r ready, it ain't ready, simple. If you don't test the entire edge as you progress from hone to hone, then you need to re-learn the basics, in my oplnion.

Regards,
Neil

Well, call it 'odd' if you wish. I guess, being as new to this as I am, I don't have your gift of being able to tell, intuitively, or through gift of mastery, if it is or ain't ready. It helps me to see it this way. You're welcome to accept or dismiss it as you see best, for you.

My preference is to learn to hone only on the natural stones and things aren't so black and white..

Having said that, your method seems way too 'loose' for me. Clearly, I lack your intuition.

Great conversation.
I love it!
The greater the variety of descriptions the better.
I get this and I appreciate it for what it's worth.

Okay, I'd like to clarify things here. I gave this advice one on one to a friend that I am teaching to hone.

I had him over to my house and set bevels on three of his razors. I allowed him to test each one before moving on. We used thumb pad, arm hair and looked through two different loupes. All of my bevels were good and they all cut his and my arm hair. They all passed the tpt and looked good in the loupe.

Later over the phone I gave some more advice about a specific bevel that he was working on. This is the advice that he shared in the op.

I'd like to point out that this was specific tailored advice for a real world problem that he was having. I'd also like to point out that it was a great success. My advice deepened his understanding of how a bevel should feel and he was moved enough to post here.

And what did he get for it? "wierd", "Mumbo jumbo". Posts saying that it would take to long for production honing. Well that's just your opinion. I'm the one meeting with the guy, and trying to explain stuff in a way that he will understand.

As for me, I'm not a pro honer but I've spent many hours learning how to do every possible test on a bevel to make sure it's set. So yes I always do more than one test to check if a bevel is set. As I always say, one test can fool you. It's better to do two or three tests.

Michael

Thanks Michael...

I am continuing to hold your words tightly. By my nature, I learn best by watching and doing, not by guessing. And sadly, not through years of personal experience. Your words gave me a clearer vision of what I was looking for in the tests.. It works for me.

Most of what I have come across prior had been far too nebulous for my learning style.