Thread: Why use an X-pattern on a wide hone?

Hi all, another question from a newbie honer.

If you have wide stones, such as the norton's, is there a reason to do an X-pattern when the stone is as wide as the razor? I couldn't think of a reason why you'd need to but wanted to see if I'm missing something obvious.

Cheers.

The X-pattern mitigates the uneven pressures applied to the blade by your hand and also compensates for a less than perfectly flat or uniformly textured hone. At least this is how I interepret the practice. If everything were perfectly steady and flat and uniform we could do the I rather than the X, but then there would be no honemeister mystery. And wouldn't that be a bummer?

You don't have to but for some reason it seems togive a more consistant edge when you do. Someone else might be able to give a technical explanation as to why it works better, I just know that it seems to make for better honing.

I'm not going to answer your question but give you something else to think about. Look at your edge under sufficient magnification when it's freshly honed and you will see, among other things, 2 primary features: fineness of scratches, and direction of scratches.

For a razor, I'm not positive if scratches perpendicular to the edge are ideal, or if angled ones are. I suspect the latter may have a small advantage when it comes to stropping.

I have a related question:

Why do the X pattern on a hone narrower than the razor, and not simply move the razor over the stone at a say 30-45 degree angle (whatever it takes to make the blade fit the stone), keeping all of the blade in contact at once?

To the related question:

See my answer above it applies.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I have a related question:

Why do the X pattern on a hone narrower than the razor, and not simply move the razor over the stone at a say 30-45 degree angle (whatever it takes to make the blade fit the stone), keeping all of the blade in contact at once?

I'm no hone expert what so ever, but can imagine that flipping the blade at the end of each stroke will be quite difficult this way.

Even with a perfectly flat hone, many blades are not perfectly straight, so the entire length of the blade does not contact the stone at the same time. By using an x-stroke, you improve the odds (considerably!) of having the entire length of the blade's edge contact the hone at some point during the stroke.

Thanks for the replies, that makes sense, I'll switch to an X-pattern and see if I notice any difference.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by SteveS

Even with a perfectly flat hone, many blades are not perfectly straight, so the entire length of the blade does not contact the stone at the same time. By using an x-stroke, you improve the odds (considerably!) of having the entire length of the blade's edge contact the hone at some point during the stroke.

+1 on that. That's the best 2 sentence explanation for doing X's I've read so far.