Thread: Advice on Honing

I found circles really hard to keep flat when I first started so I just did straight laps. Might take a bit longer but the end outcome is still the same.

"Setting a bevel" is establishing your initial bevel, which sets the stage for all other operations in sharpening the edge.

Run go seek and see all videos (again if necessary).

We like to see an even and small bevel from heel to toe. Odd wear, warpage, damage, poor repairs, etc. tend to give us un-even bevels. Worn bevels are rounded, fresh bevels are angular.

Adding tape changes your bevel angle very slightly. If you chose to use tape, keep it fresh. I'd use one layer on that blade. Lynn would use none. That's a whole discussion in itself.

The SOP is to stay at the bevel-setting grit/stage until one has hair cutting sharpness all the way along the blade. This is an indication of a "full bevel set". It doesn't mean it's even or pretty (you have to work toward those sometimes), it just means it'll cut because the sides of the bevel have met in the middle. Each operation subsequent is simply polishing the sides of that bevel. This is why forming the bevel is FUNdaMENTAL...wait, it's FUN! no it's MENTAL! see what cofffee doees!

And that is why refreshing a razor should only require polishing stages, the pasted strops or finishing stones. One doesn't "reset" a bevel each time he hones a razor--unless he's trying to make a pretty (even) bevel on a repair jobbie. cheers.