Thread: I hadn't really considered this

Most of you probably already know this but I have always lapped my stones before honing with a just a few strokes of a diamond plate and I have struggled with a bevel a few times.

Well, first of all this is a demonstration of why you use an x stroke. Remember in another post recently you brought up a question about a heel hook? THAT is how you get one not to mention a frown. Also the diagonal stroke prevents a lot of this, not keeping your stones flat but preventing it from affecting your bevel set. It is still best to lap your stone regularly. I normally do every time I use it...and use a lapping plate with sic powder. I only use a diamond plate for making slurry. Also I use the majority of the stone where he is using just the center. You get a sow belly in your stone when you do that and it creates more wear and more work to get it back flat. In addition, using both hands not only wears your razor but your stones as well. Holding the stone in hand and honing with the other keeps the pressure from being as much of an issue.

Oh yeah, and don't wash all that sediment down your drain. It can turn to a rock in your sewer pipes.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Well, first of all this is a demonstration of why you use an x stroke.

I get the impression that he was not actually honing, more discussing the importance of lapping and how quickly a synthetic stone can need relapping. It looked like he was using Naniwa SS but he may have been making a point about any synthetic, I only have Nortons and Naniwas and the discussion could apply to either of those.

As to honing, unless you do it for a living, lapping your stones ,or stone, doesn’t need done very often, as a matter of fact after your razor is honed from the bevel up, it won’t need to see a stone for lots and lots of shaves. I maintain my razors no honing. I get out my Nani 12k and most of the time 3-4 laps lightly and I do it dry. Maybe 4 years since I lapped it, the rest of my hones sit in the toolbox,, haven’t set a bevel in years. Hard to wear out a stone

The 1k hone is about the only one that may need checked every now n then. Its your workhorse, the rest is polishing, and only see a little use, in comparison.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Well, first of all this is a demonstration of why you use an x stroke.

This. ^

Also you can never really get a truly flat stone if the lapping plate you are using is the same size or smaller than the hone you need to flatten, the lapping plate needs to be larger than the hone so all the surface is worked the same amount.

I think lapping your stones every time you need to hone a razor is a waste of stone tbh, especially if you are just touching up an edge on a fine hone and not doing any heavy work.

Originally Posted by thp001

This. ^

Also you can never really get a truly flat stone if the lapping plate you are using is the same size or smaller than the hone you need to flatten, the lapping plate needs to be larger than the hone so all the surface is worked the same amount.

I think lapping your stones every time you need to hone a razor is a waste of stone tbh, especially if you are just touching up an edge on a fine hone and not doing any heavy work.

I do tend to reset the bevels and do the complete progression whenever I need to or just fancy giving my razors some love.
Obviously they don't need all that work but because setting the bevel is the most important part of the honing process. I do it a lot to learn, improve and practice. If I just touched up my blades when they needed it I would be able to keep them good for a long time but I wouldn't be practiced at start to finish.

I lap mine a few strokes every time mainly to refresh the surface and get rid of tape and other residues more out of fancy than anything, and that only with synths. I really never lap my Arks after the initial lapping but way too much is made of dead flatness. If you use an x stroke with limited pressure even if it is not dead flat is much ado about nothing. My dad used stones with big bellies in them and he could get a knife so sharp it was scary. He didn't do as many razors but when I inherited his barber hone I flattened it because it was bellied also. I like narrow stones better than wide ones especially for smiling blades or ones with geometric problems because it minimizes the effect of geometry.
All of this though is academic. If you really know what you're doing you can hone on a cinder block.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

All of this though is academic. If you really know what you're doing you can hone on a cinder block.

Cinder block Paul, really.

How many miliion times have i told you not to exaggerate

Cinder block are definitely not flat enough to hone on. A house brick? Maybe.