Originally Posted by
Euclid440
You don’t have to go with the tip from corner to corner. If you do the heel will end up with very little time on the stone. The tip is on the stone 100 percent of the time the heel falls off with in the first inch of lateral travel.
Watch Charlies stroke on the Rolling X and see where the heel comes off the stone, notice how rounded your once spike point is. More time on stone, more wear. The goal is even wear and a fully honed edge.
You can also hone a smile, (especially at low grits) by honing the toe and heel separately with straight strokes. Do two laps on the toe then two on the heel, then blend the middle with a rolling X, or just perfect the rolling X.
Charlies videos of the Rolling X is the best visual. Watch his smooth stroke and imitate it.