Thread: Scratches

Originally Posted by Tathra11

When you reach the end of the honing stroke are you cleanly lifting the razor off of the hone? If not, and you are sliding the razor off the end/edge of the stone, maybe the blade face is ever so slightly making contact with the corner of the stone??

That's my thought, too.

Originally Posted by cycklon500

Good advice. I have heard the one about pinning, but not the one about palm honing. Wish I hnew that 25 years ago.

It's the only way I care to hone.

The hand will act as a gimbal for the hone, and keep equal pressure along the length of the blade as u draw it across the hone.

If your putting to much pressure to the heel or toe, the hone will tilt in that direction to compensate.

I find it very helpful for blades with a smile.
Then there's manipulating the hone for blades that have a rounded, edged point, like skinning knives.

The very first diagram I'd ever seen, was how to sharpen a knife, in a boy scout hand book that belonged to my older brother.

It explained it by holding the hone in hand. So I guess that's how I adopted it, nearly 50 years ago.

I used to bench hone only until someone here gave me the advice to try palm honing. It was hard to let go of resting my fingers on the toe but now that I have gotten used to it I only hone that way except with my Dad's giant razor honing block because of the weight. Even then I sometimes palm it too.