Thread: Short stones/strokes - More Control? Less Burr?

As I understand it a wire edge is a burr created by overhoning. Due to overhoning parts of the edge will become so thin they break off leaving a burr. I remove wire edges by a few roundtrips on a leather strop: spine lifted & very little pressure. Other forum member will breadknife the edge on a cork.

Originally Posted by JeffR

Please pardon the question, but I'm confused. Isn't over-honing the same as forming a burr on an already set bevel?

Burr forms from excessive pressure on the low grit stones. Wire/foil edge forms from thinning the steel at the apex of the formed bevels on the high grit hones. Joining the edge helps get rid of the problem most of the time.

Burrs form on most steels regardless of pressure, but excess pressure will produce bigger ones. I did a test some time ago with a Chosera 1k and featherweight pressure and was easily able to form a burr. Burr formation is a function of ductility and occurs because the steel at such tiny scale just pushes away from the hone rather than cutting. This happens no matter what level of pressure is used.

What magnification did you use to see these burrs?

They were easily visible with a 10x loupe.

Originally Posted by eKretz

Burrs form on most steels regardless of pressure, but excess pressure will produce bigger ones. I did a test some time ago with a Chosera 1k and featherweight pressure and was easily able to form a burr. Burr formation is a function of ductility and occurs because the steel at such tiny scale just pushes away from the hone rather than cutting. This happens no matter what level of pressure is used.

Regardless no,, Relative yes.

Straight Razor Honing + Burr = ***SMH***





Honing NOT edge restoration two separate topics

My theory and why I use shorter strokes hasn't got a lot to do with wire formation, as I, like Onimaru don't see the wire form that easily on a natural stone. I can't deny though, you gentlemen make some valid points, both regarding low grit and high grit stones.

My observation has been that, when you use a short stroke, it's like you have to think about the flip, almost as soon as you start the stroke. Getting into that mindset means the body (hand) will follow... and automagically, the pressure gets reduced. I think this is what Iwasaki had in mind when he said "the pressure seems to reduce with shorter strokes". JMHO of course - it's a state of mind as well.

Originally Posted by eKretz

Burrs form on most steels regardless of pressure, but excess pressure will produce bigger ones. I did a test some time ago with a Chosera 1k and featherweight pressure and was easily able to form a burr. Burr formation is a function of ductility and occurs because the steel at such tiny scale just pushes away from the hone rather than cutting. This happens no matter what level of pressure is used.

Originally Posted by eKretz

They were easily visible with a 10x loupe.

I cannot understand this. I'm not arguing your observations, but I have a Zeiss stereomicroscope with maximum magnification of 63x through the eyepieces and 95x with my optical camera adapter and the entire thing has excellent resolution, and I never have been able to produce a visible burr on a razor.

Originally Posted by Srdjan

My theory and why I use shorter strokes hasn't got a lot to do with wire formation, as I, like Onimaru don't see the wire form that easily on a natural stone. I can't deny though, you gentlemen make some valid points, both regarding low grit and high grit stones.

My observation has been that, when you use a short stroke, it's like you have to think about the flip, almost as soon as you start the stroke. Getting into that mindset means the body (hand) will follow... and automagically, the pressure gets reduced. I think this is what Iwasaki had in mind when he said "the pressure seems to reduce with shorter strokes". JMHO of course - it's a state of mind as well.

the lightest possible pressure is achieved by short slow stroke IMHO.