Thread: Honing on Charcoal?

From reading posts on honing with newspaper it seems apparent that the carbon-based black ink is what acts as the abrasive. From this, would it be likely to make a workable charcoal based honing agent that could be applied to some paper and used in the same fashion as newspaper? I imagine there being some variation in the grit size but it would probably be quite fine. And messy! I have developed a strange fascination with this idea and the strangeness of it is causing concern!

Yea it should work. I got my last batch from my grill having moved out of my dad's country house with the wood fireplace. I apply mine to linen, although I'm using clean linen at the moment. It sharpens a little too fast for me. Faster than newspaper (I think, I tried it once without much effect).

Obviously I burn mine first and I have to grind it down with my fingers until it turns into a fine powder.

The carbon in the ink is carbon black aka lampblack. You can make it easily by trimming a candle too long and holding a piece of plate glass above it while it smokes. I've also collected it from my coleman lantern after a camping trip. If you do this, smear it very thinly on the surface of your paddle - too much abrasive makes for a duller edge.

Here is a product to maybe test some ideas
http://cgi.ebay.com/WILLIAMS-BLACK-S...QQcmdZViewItem

Very similar to the woodash method of fine sharpening.