Thread: Hone Movement - Handholding etc.

I am firmly in the handheld honing camp. For me at least its much easier to get a feel for where exactly along the edge (heel to toe wise) I'm applying pressure and how the razor is contacting the hone. It also does allow for slight movement of the hone in certain cases, which can be helpful IMO.

Originally Posted by eKretz

I am firmly in the handheld honing camp. For me at least its much easier to get a feel for where exactly along the edge (heel to toe wise) I'm applying pressure and how the razor is contacting the hone. It also does allow for slight movement of the hone in certain cases, which can be helpful IMO.

Using a thin stone also amplifies the feedback (or at least I feel it does), which is why I've come to favour thinner stones.

My favourite hone (a coticule) measures about 7x12 cm and is 1 cm thick. The control and feedback I get really works wonders for me.

Best regards,

Pieter

I'll hold a 2lbs rock in my hand sometimes, exactly for reasons Steve outlined in the OP. Balance the stone in one hand, watch the pressure (relative to where I am in the progression). At times when I'm relaxed and well rested I will simply hone on a bench. This may sound counter intuitive, but the rationale is, I have good control of the pressure and movement in my honing hand, so don't need to use the other to compensate by holding the hone.

If the hone sits on the bench, I will use a hand towel folded once, but not more. I like them to be fairly solid in this case. Sometimes I will just set them on a rubber base. I will rarely have them sitting on a rock solid base.

The length of movement is also something that may impact pressure, so this is probably why some of us will use shorter strokes for the finishing stages.

To me, all this is really about the pressure control, nothing else.

I dont put too much thought into it, sometimes I use a bench, sometimes I hand hold. Its all good to me.