Thread: Honing With X-Pattern and Lapping Wiht a Naniwa Lapping Stone

Yesterday I received my Naniwa 12000 honing stone and a Naniwa Lapping Stone (not the gigantic one). My question is why is it recommended to use the x-pattern when honing? Why can't I just go straight up and down? And, the Naniwa lapping stone is way smaller than the honing stones so will this unevenly lap the honing stone?

Because going straight up and down the hone will eventually make your edge do this the blade should do this

Frown = Bad
Smile = Good

Just like in life...

What does the Small lapping stone look like can you link it ????

Should be fine, just use figure 8 patterns

I have a Vid online but I have to apologize in advance the camera angle is not as good as I had hoped for

just youtube search "gssixgun honing" and you will find about 30 vids on there

That lapping stone will work but is messy. A diamond plate 300-600 grit is easier but, once the 12K is flat, use the flat side of the flattening stone and be sure to round the edges of the 12K. Wash the 12K stone well in running water and a scrubbing sponge to ensure all the grit from the flattening stone is removed.

An inexpensive silicone carbide stone will also work in place of a diamond plate as a refreshing stone.
That 12K will refresh and finish your razors for many years.

The X pattern honing will hone the Heel and Toe as well as the middle, thus preventing a frown.

The X pattern honing will hone the Heel and Toe as well as the middle, thus preventing a frown.[/QUOTE]

See I don't understand what this means. Doesn't honing without the x pattern do the same? Doesn't honing up and down without the x pattern hone the heel, toe, and middle?

Originally Posted by ChaddyOShaver

See I don't understand what this means. Doesn't honing without the x pattern do the same? Doesn't honing up and down without the x pattern hone the heel, toe, and middle?

If the everything was perfectly straight and even Yes you would be correct but they are not..

The edge is not always a straight line in fact, neither is your newly lapped stone and for sure your stoke is not .. The various patterns the X being the most used eliminate all that un-evenness.. Even more importantly the X stroke allows you to form the edge and bevel

This is something that you pretty much have to accept on faith or you have to test it yourself which will eventually result in a Mis-honed razor

Note I underlined Eventually,

Gracias me amigo!

Well I honed the razor then used CrOx. The shave was still somewhat rough although it did cut more hair than the last times. Did I not hone it enough?

Width and length of the hone is related to the amount of lateral and forward movement. A razor with an even spine will, or at least should have an even bevel, no smile. This is also reduces the amount of lateral motion in your stroke to cover the entire bevel.

It depends on what condition the edge was when you honed on the 12K. The 12K is a great finishing or touch-up stone for maintenance. But maintenance is not repair.

We change the oil in our cars for maintenance, but once your motor starts to knock, changing the oil is not going to do much to make it run better.

So were you doing maintenance or repair? Can you re-hone( touch-up) on a 12k? Sure, but that is nothing like maintenance.

What is the current condition of your edge?

Look straight down on your edge with magnification and a strong light. Any shinny reflections are spots where the bevels are not meeting in a straight edge. Any shinny spots will have to be honed until the bevels meet, many laps on the 12K or fewer on a lower grit stone depending on the size of the shinny spots.

Or it could be honing technique, or most probably your stropping technique.

Stropping ruins more edges with novice honers, because it only takes one errant lap, lifting the spine before the razor stops moving to damage the edge. A keen razor edge is a very fragile thing.
A pasted strop is even more unforgiving that plain leather.

Before you do anything else that may further damage the edge, examine the edge to find out what it needs.