Thread: Honing too lightly? Seeing no metal?

I know that the consensus around here is that pressure during honing should be null or very little. However since "light" pressure is such a subjective experience, how do you know if you're honing TOO lightly, to the point where the blade can come off during the stroke even just slightly. Just like in pipe smoking, there is a way to pack too lightly and won't provide you the most effective result.

When honing, I simply can't keep the blade flat with one hand especially with X strokes. So after reading and watching a member here hone, I opted to use two hands. While this helps keep the blade flat on the stone but I still don't see the metal particles that are supposed to come off. I only see a heavy black streak on the long edges of the stone, but coming from the blade itself I dont see anything.

Originally Posted by ProfessorShak

I know that the consensus around here is that pressure during honing should be null or very little. However since "light" pressure is such a subjective experience, how do you know if you're honing TOO lightly, to the point where the blade can come off during the stroke even just slightly. Just like in pipe smoking, there is a way to pack too lightly and won't provide you the most effective result.

The razor itself has enough weight to keep it down on the hone. Mostly what you have to do is hold the handle up, and work the angle of the handle to "roll" it as you do the X. This is to compensate for the fact that no blade is perfectly straight & true. If you lay the entirety of the blade on the hone, it won't make contact at all points along the edge.

Originally Posted by ProfessorShak

When honing, I simply can't keep the blade flat with one hand especially with X strokes. So after reading and watching a member here hone, I opted to use two hands.

This is a lack-of-practice problem. It will go away in time. There's nothing wrong with using two hands--it can give you better control, esp. when you're new to honing. But do not add pressure! The less force you use, the better edge you will get. This is because the blade is microscopically thin at the cutting edge & will flex & deform if you press down on it.

Originally Posted by ProfessorShak

While this helps keep the blade flat on the stone but I still don't see the metal particles that are supposed to come off. I only see a heavy black streak on the long edges of the stone, but coming from the blade itself I dont see anything.

The black residue on the stone IS the steel coming off the blade. The particles that are coming off are very small. You won't be able to see anything happening to the blade unless you have at least 10X magnifier like a jeweler's loupe or something. Then you can see the scratch pattern pretty clearly.

You will also hear many saying "it took me 15 minutes on the 1200, and still got nowhere..."

Add a little pressure when you're on the lower grits. Your razor can handle it!

When you get to finishing, then you can worry about the light pressure.


OK, so don't BEAR DOWN while honing, but using two hands is fine. Use the hand on the back of the razor to feel how much pressure to apply.

Originally Posted by ProfessorShak

I know that the consensus around here is that pressure during honing should be null or very little. However since "light" pressure is such a subjective experience, how do you know if you're honing TOO lightly, to the point where the blade can come off during the stroke even just slightly. Just like in pipe smoking, there is a way to pack too lightly and won't provide you the most effective result.

When honing, I simply can't keep the blade flat with one hand especially with X strokes. So after reading and watching a member here hone, I opted to use two hands. While this helps keep the blade flat on the stone but I still don't see the metal particles that are supposed to come off. I only see a heavy black streak on the long edges of the stone, but coming from the blade itself I dont see anything.

You need to lap the hone, There should be swarf across the whole surface of the hone, just along the edge is telling you that that is where the hone is high.... Also I gotta ask, have you smoothed back the edges??????
Anytime you see one thin long band of dark metal, that is showing you a high spot on the hone... It will never be perfect but the more spread out the dark marks are the better it is....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

There should be swarf across the whole surface of the hone, just along the edge is telling you that that is where the hone is high....

That's a good point. I didn't even think of that.

i was thinking that as i was reading the hone needs flattened

+1 The hone is not flat. If you lay the razor as flat as possible on the hone and can see light between razor and hone, either the blade is warped or the stone is not flat.Maybe both.

When I am asked ho much pressure to use the phrease
" just enough pressure to keep the blade flat on the hone"
is what I tell them. I also say
" use a little bit of torque toward the edge"
That means that there should be slightly more more pressure on the edge then there is on the spine. Use the fingers that grasp the spine to apply the torque and the pinky finger to lift the end of the scales to keep the razor flat on the hone.

I also agree with using slightly more pressure when using the 1000 grit and the first 1/2 of the strokes omn the 4000 grit. The last half of the strokes on the 4000 grit should be light.

Hope this helps,

I like to think that I am using the razor to shave the hone, making sure as best I can to get consistent, even contact across the whole length of the razor's edge