Thread: Why should I kill the edge before honing?

Jointing the blade lies on an angle to the stone, killing the edge is more or less perpendicular

“Just new to honing and learning a lot, everything seems logic from what i've read, but killing the edge doesn't...”

So, as said, it depends. As a rule, I do not.

The practice of killing the edge on a glass was a way to compare honing edges, so others were at the same starting point, and now seems a common technique. But is unnecessary, because as soon as you put the razor to a hone, the edge is never the same after the first stroke.

If the edge is chipped, then yes, I will “kill it on a stone to straighten, joint it and remove small micro-chips, then hone. If the chips are large or the edge needs reprofiling, then breadknife or high angle hone it to remove large chips and or reprofile, as in after heel correction or reshaping a smile.

Killing/Jointing is one or two light strokes, bread knifing is whatever it takes…

For most edges, I just set the bevel, see what the edge looks like, and go from there.

One of the truest adages of honing is, you do what the razor, needs. As Shaun said either way works, and as with most thing in this hobby, there are many roads to Rome, and few absolutes. Try different methods and find the one that works best for you.

Make sure to tape your spine, until you master honing, then decide if tape is for you.