Thread: Taping the spine

Originally Posted by Euclid440

“I know jointing is a common remedy for that situation, but I have never understood the reason when going to the next stone will remove that burr. Just always seemed excessive & like creating more work to me.”

Jointing makes a straight edge, much like jointing an edge of a board. It cut off the burr. If you look straight down on the edge after jointing, you may see black spots on the shiny line of the new straight edge.

The black dots are chip that were not fully removed. That says a lot about the edge. A lot depends on the condition and the quality of the steel. If the edge has been worked, shaped or buffed then it is common to get a rough edge and all the roughness will have to be removed to the depth of the deepest chip.

You can hone it all out, or you can just cut it off. It is easier and more efficient, to cut it off straight, than to hope you hone it off evenly. With most all edge tools, jointing is a common practice, to begin sharpening with a straight edge. One can hone the edge straight, either way the same amount of material will need to be removed.

Jointing removes less, as the edge is already straight, and you just need to get the bevels to meet. If the bevels were set, flat and in the correct plane, you only need to get them to meet, a matter of 10-20 laps.
I still don't see the advantage. If the bevels ares properly set it takes about 3 strokes to remove the burr on the next stone, maybe a couple more in extreme cases.

Dragging the edge on a non-abrasive object, tears the burr off and does not cut it off cleanly, creating micro chipping. Yes, we are talking about microns here, but the goal is efficient honing of a straight edge, how ever you get there.
For me it's not about tearing the edge off , rather folding it to one side so the stone can cut it off.

I always use fast cutting stones & /or small progression jumps & rarely feel a need to joint an edge. Possibly that colours my opinion.