Thread: Round and Round or Up and Down?

I don't have a Norton 4k/8k or a coticule or any other of the "Worship Rocks" mentioned on this site. All I have is a Little Gem barber hone with coarse and fine grit sides and it's only 5 inches by two. Is it ever permissible to use a circular motion, even if only for resharpening every few weeks or months? I've seen circular motion on a hone described in various situations such as removing small nicks, and with the size of the hone I have, up and down motion would take a lot of time!

RSVP glenel@videotron.ca Thanks!!

Glen Eldridge
Pierrefonds, Québec

You can use a circular motion to remove visible nicks or you could just use 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. That is much more effective.
However, for resharpening just use the X pattern stroke. The first half of the strokes with some pressure and the last half with only the pressure necessary to keep the blade flat on the hone.

Try it and look at the results under magnification. A round stroke is really a combination of forward stroke, backhone stroke, and diagonal strokes. At various times and for various razors that will work! Do get some magnification though as that will tell you a lot before you put blade to face. Also, I have a 6x2 coticule in stock that I consider to be a 2nd for $45. The surface is fine but there are some thin openings in the layers on the side of the stone. I don't think this should present a problem and you'll get a lot of use out of an excellent stone. It would be head and shoulders above what you're using and cheap Worship! ; )

Thanks, Howard - your answer makes sense. I need a bevel of the right angle and condition and a circular motion on some stones with some razors works. If that doesn't show how inconsistently most straight razors are cast, forged and shaped, even modern ones, nothing else can. I'll probably stick with up and down, though, as soon as you get that Norton 4k/8k to me, as everyone seems to agree that , with the Norton, the Force is with you!

Regards,

Glen

Yes, of course you can use a circular motion. I would finish up with an x pattern though. The circular motion is a forward x pattern with a backhoning stroke. Some razors will only get to a razor edge with a backhoning stroke. On smaller stones it makes sense to use a circular motion.