Thread: 'X' Pattern

Originally Posted by GoTeeGuy

That may explain why honing in an 'X' pattern does not produce an uneven blade. If the pressure on the heal is greater than that on the point, then the heal may simply not require as much honing, while the point still benefits from the extra 'travel' along the hone.

- Ken -

Maybe this explains why barber hones were made the size that we find them.

Considering that the point should not go below the mid point on the hone, the heel and point actually travel about the same distance on the hone when using the standard 2" wide barber hone and the classic X pattern. And the usual length of a straight razor blade is about 3". If you are using a wider (maybe not straight razor specific) hone, or using a straight across honing technique, this may not apply.

During performance of the X pattern, as the point of the razor is starting to contact the hone, the heel is exiting the bottom edge of the hone. Only if you continue to draw the point past the middle of the hone (longest, or horizontal, axis) will it get more contact time (so, dont - ) .

The real trick in honing is learning to keep equal pressure and flat contact all along the edge on both sides. The test for this is the thumb nail. If you find that sharpness is uneven along the edge (sharp heel, duller point, etc.), then you weren't applying equal pressure and/or keeping the razor flat the entire stroke.

Thoughts??

Scott