Thread: honeing- X versus diagonal-ish...?

Ok, I was thinking about the cross pattern used as the standard for honing and got to wondering,,,
Playing (err, practicing.. I mean) with the paki blade I bought years ago on a stone just to get the motions I noticed I was not doing the x, but sort of just diagonal. in words, I mean I was doing the down and away then flipping on the spine and just coming back and up, not sliding the blade up and coming back and down making the 'X'.
It occurs that such a motion will cover the same blade area and in my mind the same wear to the stone... so here's the question for those with the experience: What is the drawback to this versus the X pattern?
Is there a difference in stone wear?
I can "see" the fine "teeth" created on the stone will be in different directions on the oposing sides of the edge, does that make a difference in the performance or the sharpness of an edge?

The story about curiosity and a cat keeps poping into my mind, but....

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=6290

Read it all...

cheers,
Nenad

This part of post number 24 had me laughing . . .


"Now, when newbie gets his brand new stainless steel DOVO micarta razor, and his brand new Norton hone, the problems start. The razor, is offcourse, not sharp enough to shave, and the newbie is even having problems to keep his blade in contact with the stone when honing. The obvious honing method a clever newbie is gonna try is pushing his brand new hard as hell razor straight through the hone, with two or three fingers laying on the spine, and with ~45 angle to the horizontal axis on the hone. "Hey, this was easy", says newbie. "I only wonder why even after numerous pyramides, cubes, spheres and what not, the razor is not giving me comfortable shave??" I'll tell you why. Because the razor has even slight smile to it, and the 4000 side is not abrasive enough to straighten the geometry of the edge, especially with the light-as-a-feather pressure you are using. That is also why your razor is passing the damn HHT only on couple of places, which are, you guessed it, the ones that are in contact with the stone. "

What a great thread that was. Sometimes you just wanna say "Sure, try it for a couple of years and will talk later"

The answer to your last question was, yes. But as you noted both methods apply opposing striations. Which is why, on occasion, the straight push will work, ok. But that doesn't make it the best method.

Originally Posted by superfly

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=6290

Read it all...

That Search function is quite a boon isn't it?

X

Originally Posted by xman

That Search function is quite a boon isn't it?

X

It is, but I never would have thought to look in a thread about the pyramid since I understood that is shifting grits.
Actually, " X Pattern" with almost 200 results was the only search term I got results on.
Fortunatly an experienced member knew exactly where to direct me, and for that many thanks.
Maybe that thread should be moved to the library for required reading to us noobs.
Anyway, I'm reading away. Thanks for the direction and answer.

Originally Posted by Justme-

It is, but I never would have thought to look in a thread about the pyramid since I understood that is shifting grits.
Actually, " X Pattern" with almost 200 results was the only search term I got results on.
Fortunatly an experienced member knew exactly where to direct me, and for that many thanks.
Maybe that thread should be moved to the library for required reading to us noobs.
Anyway, I'm reading away. Thanks for the direction and answer.

true enough. And I've found that if the search parameters are too common the system will break down. I've signed thousands of posts, but just try doing a search for "X" and see what you don't get. That's why guys like Nenad are good to have around.

X