Thread: Heel first or last

I always hone heel leading but I read on here somewhere that there are a few circumstances where a person hones with the heel following.

I was just wondering when and why a person would do that.

Are you confusing that with edge trailing? Often the shoulder or the shape of the spine and shank get in the way of very much of an edge leading heel following stroke.

Originally Posted by bluesman7

Are you confusing that with edge trailing? Often the shoulder or the shape of the spine and shank get in the way of very much of an edge leading heel following stroke.

I don't thinks so.

Obviously I go edge leading but angle the blade to about 45 dgrees so that the heel edge is down and leading.

I have heard that there are occasions when the blade would still be edge first but angled so that the toe leads, I was wondering when that would be done and why.

Originally Posted by STF

I don't thinks so.

Obviously I go edge leading but angle the blade to about 45 dgrees so that the heel edge is down and leading.

I have heard that there are occasions when the blade would still be edge first but angled so that the toe leads, I was wondering when that would be done and why.

Well, then you often get into that stabilizer, shoulder, shank, interference that I was talking about. I don't think that strai orientation matters very much on the finished edge of a razor, though changing it up does speed up the material removal when you are in that stage of honing. So that could be a possible reason. I don't think that I've ever done it.

I may have missed it but I can't recall ever reading about a toe leading stroke on this forum.

Bob

As Vic was saying, Changing the angle to change the direction of the stria helps in removing the stria from larger grit. And I have done this including with a toe leading stroke but not much of it. Also, if you're having an issue getting a bevel set, working on the edge in smaller sections can help. And when doing this it might be a version of getting the toe set. But it would all need blending back together as a full stroke before it was properly set.

I don't feel that a toe leading stroke is very common and I'd stay away from it until you are solid in your honing abilities.

I have not used a toe leading stroke.

I can see where that would work but be uncomfortable and harder to do the same stroke over and over.

I find the toe forward a bit awkward. I tend to hit the stabilizer on the edge of the stone more. Maybe I should lay the razor on glass, but thinking about it toe forward angles the stabilizer towards the stone and heel forward away. So probably a smaller margin of error. Add that to only doing that with mindless fast strokes...

Are we talking about for lack of a better term an upward or downward stroke?

I think we are talking about bevel setting a 3" razor on a 2" stone. So you put the blade at an angle so the whole edge of the blade is on the stone and rub it up and down the stone. You can orient it with the toe pointing towards you and the toe pointing away from you.

Take a look at the SRP logo. If you put the stone up and down, that is what I'd call toe forward.