Thread: Mid-range tips

Hey guys,

I would like to put together a thread to help people that struggle with the part of honing that lies between bevel setting and finishing, basically the mid-range sharpening before the final honing.

I sometimes struggle with the middle part of my honing. I can set a bevel confidently. Then the middle is hit and miss. I've tried many different types of hones and progressions and honestly sometimes struggle with all of them.

I would like this thread to be populated with tips and tricks for those struggling in the mid-range no matter what system they are using. Generic tips for success, or specific stone related tips after bevel setting.

Basically what has helped you specifically after bevel setting leading up to finisher?

For clarity you can write which stones you are using and your tips if they are specific. If just a generic tip you can leave the stone type out or write all that apply, the choice is yours

I strongly believe it would be beneficial to new and old honers alike.

Thanks for all the tips guys. .. Don't send them all at once. Might crash the servers

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The only tip that I can think of at the moment is ;
If you are relatively new to honing, stick to an established progression, such as 1K, 4K, 8K ,,,,,, finisher. Try to keep the jumps within the 5K range.

Well to be honest the Transition area is about damn well boring if you are using Synthetics, it is a bit more interesting if you are using naturals in the middle but that is just because you have to deal with slurry and dilution...

If the bevel set is solid then the only thing you need to do is watch the Striations make sure they are even and taking away the previous ones, but really if you did the work at the bevel set the Transition should be easy...


Tip: Don't get obsessive in the middle you can end up taking a step backwards

Originally Posted by Hirlau

The only tip that I can think of at the moment is ;
If you are relatively new to honing, stick to an established progression, such as 1K, 4K, 8K ,,,,,, finisher. Try to keep the jumps within the 5K range.

Tip # 1 congrats Hirlau. It took 4 hours for someone to give some advice. My hats off to you.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Well to be honest the Transition area is about damn well boring if you are using Synthetics, it is a bit more interesting if you are using naturals in the middle but that is just because you have to deal with slurry and dilution...

If the bevel set is solid then the only thing you need to do is watch the Striations make sure they are even and taking away the previous ones, but really if you did the work at the bevel set the Transition should be easy...


Tip: Don't get obsessive in the middle

Another great one. #2

The biggest tip I have is the tool that took my honing to the next level and gave it some serious predictability was the loupe and learning to interpret what I was seeing. There have been a couple of threads produced by guys with better photographic gear than I have. Basically in order for the finish to be all that it has to start very early on with the bevel set. Watching with the loupe and ensuring you have no flat spots on the edge, which show as sparkles or lines when looking almost straight down on the point of the apex. When you go to the next step you will begin to watch the side of the bevel and see the scratch patterns change and become finer. As you move along and you have very fine even scratch patterns you will look to the edge of the bevel and see it come straight and the bevel will depending on the finisher become a very nice matte finish or very shiny. That is where you want to stop. If you keep going the edge starts to show a shadow line very close to the edge of the bevel. At this pout your bevel is very fragile and not likely to last for very many shaves.
That is how it appears to me. I hope what I see is well described and you get it.

Originally Posted by RezDog

The biggest tip I have is the tool that took my honing to the next level and gave it some serious predictability was the loupe and learning to interpret what I was seeing. There have been a couple of threads produced by guys with better photographic gear than I have. Basically in order for the finish to be all that it has to start very early on with the bevel set. Watching with the loupe and ensuring you have no flat spots on the edge, which show as sparkles or lines when looking almost straight down on the point of the apex. When you go to the next step you will begin to watch the side of the bevel and see the scratch patterns change and become finer. As you move along and you have very fine even scratch patterns you will look to the edge of the bevel and see it come straight and the bevel will depending on the finisher become a very nice matte finish or very shiny. That is where you want to stop. If you keep going the edge starts to show a shadow line very close to the edge of the bevel. At this pout your bevel is very fragile and not likely to last for very many shaves.
That is how it appears to me. I hope what I see is well described and you get it.

Very good tips aswell.

My tip for mid range is practice with something long enough to understand it. I kept jumping around when I got frustrated and got no where. A lot of time wasted that could have been put into learning one stone... I hope other don't do this until after mastering one stone for the mid range.

LOL
read Glens signature line. Then read it again!