Thread: One hand or two hands pros cons???

Totally curious here. Honing with one hand? Honing with two hands? or both? Please post your pros and cons?

Honing with two hands can give you move control, and is needed for certain strokes, however it can also lead to too much pressure. I think two hands is part of advanced honing. Not really to be used all the time and not really for beginners that tend to use more pressure than needed.

I have seen too much ham-handed honing done with two hands in videos. Beginners struggle to keep the blade flat on the hone, and of course the second hand can serve like training wheels to make it easier, but eventually you should learn how to do it one handed. This is because, in my opinion, you can accomplish more versatile and subtle changes in strokes with one hand than you can with two.

I will use two hands for if I am need serious work on setting bevel maybe on 3k then I just use one hand to hone and other hand holding the hone.

The comments here are quite interesting. I am fairly new to the world of honing and really I just do touch up refresh work and not bevel sets.

I generally use two hands because it seems to give me more control. I guess it is a training wheel as Utopian said. I don't have trouble with pressure, but then I am only using the lightest of strokes for what I need really. I guess I should try to do it with one just to see and the more skills you have the better. Right?

I hone with dominant (right) hand. Only use left hand to hold small stones or if I need a little pressure on a trouble spot.

Originally Posted by bouschie

I hone with dominant (right) hand. Only use left hand to hold small stones or if I need a little pressure on a trouble spot.

I guess that's a real plus with learning to hone with one hand. You can use the other to hold a stone. I hadn't considered that at all.

It depends on what I am trying to accomplish on the hones...


How is that for a true "non-answer"

I use both methods but seem to automatically end up with two hands although I think my one handed stroke has a better effect.
I also turn the blade with the edge facing the hone. whoops

Originally Posted by gssixgun

It depends on what I am trying to accomplish on the hones...


How is that for a true "non-answer"

When it comes to us mere mortals your answer is sufficient!