Thread: How do you hone?

I think some polls may give more perspective as to what is actually common practice around here, and not just the generally accepted wisdom. I have just started holding the hone in my hand, and I find it much more comfortable than on a bench. I seem to get similar results either way, but in the hand is much more enjoyable.
So how do you hone?

I use Norton hones, I use the box lid as the stone holder as I am able to add water to the hone without fear of water running all over. I do not hold the hone.

All my hones are too big to hold in my hand, and I mostly use two hands to hone anyway...

James.

I always lay the hone in front of me on a table, slightly to my left side.
I hone singlehanded, and the hone lays lengthwise away for me so I move the razor away from me, and to me.

Oh goodness I'm a bit mixed up ...
A bit of everything
If I'm using my big hones .. it's on the table or what I call "the stable table " a sort of tabletop on top of a beanbag type thing ..
If smaller stones eg. little Belgian yellow / blue or barber hones .. I hold them in my hand ..........
I like to play about

Originally Posted by Bruno

I always lay the hone in front of me on a table, slightly to my left side.
I hone singlehanded, and the hone lays lengthwise away for me so I move the razor away from me, and to me.

I hone in the same way

Two hands, hones on table, hones facing North/South (hone away and toward me rather than left to right or right to left.

Chris L

On the table only.

Holding the hone in your hand while honing a spike point taught me a good lesson

Table or other stable platform (e.g., cabinet), as I usually use the bigger stones like a Norton 4K/8K or a Chinese 12K. I've honed N-S, but have been finding E-W working pretty good for me at the moment. I have some barber hones that I will use in my hand too.

Hone in left hand, razor in the right. This seems to help assuage my ham- handedness, making for a reasonable attempt at "weight of razor only" on the stone.