Thread: Circular Honing

I think it is to wipe away any bur with a back hone circle. thanks for the show-

Anyone else being hypnotised by watching that clip?

It was making me very sleepy.. in a relaxing kind of way. (not in a boredom way lol)

Doesn't look like back honing to me. To be honest it looks like all he is doing at the end of each stroke is wiping off the excess slurry onto the hone, so the blade can pass through it again on the next stroke. Looks like a pretty smart idea to be honest, perhaps I'll give it a try soon.


John P.

Originally Posted by JohnP

Doesn't look like back honing to me. To be honest it looks like all he is doing at the end of each stroke is wiping off the excess slurry onto the hone, so the blade can pass through it again on the next stroke. Looks like a pretty smart idea to be honest, perhaps I'll give it a try soon.


John P.

I dunno, it seems like a continual back honing thing to me, regardless of his intent. He appears to keep the same pressure on the razor on those semi-circle passes as the forward strokes.

I think it would be a good idea too, right now I backhone 1-5 strokes every 15-50 regular strokes (depends on the razor and hone) anyhow, so this might be a good way to keep my stroke more...even/regular.

I too thought he was just doing that to get the slurry back on the hone in front of the edge but I can't discount the fact that some slight back honing might be taking place at the same time.

Did anyone else notice the stropping video by the same gent. I've seen guys use a slack strop before but this is in a whole other realm. I found the link in the small pix below the video. Now, I'm not going to knock his technique as it obviously works for him but I'd have to take a pretty deep breath before attempting the same with one of my razors. Who knows... maybe it will work , I guess I'll just have to try?!?!

Regards

Christian

yeah that was real flappity- did you check out the shave vid?

Originally Posted by JohnP

Doesn't look like back honing to me. To be honest it looks like all he is doing at the end of each stroke is wiping off the excess slurry onto the hone, so the blade can pass through it again on the next stroke. Looks like a pretty smart idea to be honest, perhaps I'll give it a try soon.


John P.

John, I agree with you. The one thing he does is to take the stroke all the way to the end of the hone. That pushes the slurry way to the end, and some of it off, of the hone.
I have gotten around that by leaving 1" of the hone untouched at the end of each stroke.

Circular honing... on a fine hone may be just fine and his stroke does have an element of back honing. The only thing I object to is circular honing on coarse hones, I feel it weakens the metal and leads to microchipping at the higher grits.

But, each of us develops a style that results in an edge that satisfies us.


Just my two cents,

I see what you guys are saying about directing the slurry, the net effect though is a back hone.

I say: very slick technique all things considered.

Here's something that has occurred to me in reading various honing practices here, which Randy reminds me.

Even in the vid I thought. Hmm I would have rotated the hone at the second slurrying. I can't recall anyone ever mentioning using the whole stone. Not only utilizing both long dimensions equally, but honing on the short dimension of wide hones- for instance when you reckon your just about there, or a razor needs a little touch up. when I lay hold of an excellent natural I figure it to be irreplaceable.

As well with a good hard synthetic lapping before every use seems a bit much. The recommended razor's weight touch will hardly effect a shapton at all. Remember these were developed for abrasive resistant steel Yasugi blues, super blues, A2, swedish alloys- @ 60+ rockwell. A few hundred light strokes from a razor just barely causes the stone to open one eye from its slumber to see who's tickling it.

I'm no teacher or traveling lecturer, not interested in telling anyone how to do it. I am interested in sharing as it helps me connect the dots and gleen more detail from you guys who sharpen way more razors than I.