Thread: Significant disadvantage of X-pattern or i do it incorrectly ?

Tim, how can you tell if you have put too much pressure?

some pressure is needed especially at 4000, unless you just want to spend time

Originally Posted by kevint

Tim, how can you tell if you have put too much pressure?

some pressure is needed especially at 4000, unless you just want to spend time

If you are using more than the weight of the razor you are using to much pressure for HONING the razor. If I were to set a bevel with a 4000 grit stone I might use a little downforce, that combined with circles would do the job. Generally though if I need to do more than hone the razor I drop down in grit and use...you guessed it the weight of the razor.

I guess we then should agree to disagree. I miss why you emphasize HONING as you did, in the interest of clarity perhaps or did I typo the worn boning

Is it possible to achieve excellent sharpness with 12k hone ? I mean i set the bevel on 1k then honed the razor on 4k and shaved (i don't have 8k ). It was not bad but i felt the razor was not very sharp yet (i felt some pulling at ATG).

Yes, 12k can give you a very nice shaving edge.

I've read that some Germans finish up on a 6k hone. The mainstream here at SRP seems to like at least 8k. Quite a few like 12k or more. I often get good shaves from several barber hones that are probably in the 9k to 11k range. Sometimes even finishing up by stropping newspaper (around 0.1 micron, over 60k).

In my opinion, 4k is a bit rough to put a really "enjoyable" finished shaving edge on a razor.

In my opinion, 4k is a bit rough to put a really "enjoyable" finished shaving edge on a razor.

I'm just coming to the same conclusion. I will try to hone on 12k now but i think it will take plenty of time (at least 200 strokes or more)

Originally Posted by kekon

I'm just coming to the same conclusion. I will try to hone on 12k now but i think it will take plenty of time (at least 200 strokes or more)

Maybe picking up an 8K ASAP would be a good option. A big jump from 4 to 12K.

The main thing about the X pattern is that you need a nice even stroke, making sure the blade stays flat on the stone and very little pressure. When you see more wear at either the spine or in the edge, uneven pressure during the stroke is the likely culprit. Frowns and flattened tips or heels usually do not come with an even stroke and usually show up when there has been way more honing done to a razor than is necessary. It would take a significant amount of use and honing to wear a frown into a blade with normal honing, no matter how wide the stone is. Like everything in this sport, it is all about feel and practice.

Have fun,

Lynn

I too notice that if I don't make a conscious effort to keep the blade flat during an x-stroke I have a habit of tilting the blade. This is usually due to me trying to lighten the pressure too much and the weight of the scales tilts the blade.

I also noticed in reading some replies, not really this in this post, that people will use the term x-stroke when referring to what I would call a "rolling x-stroke". My understanding is that for the most part you should always use an x-stroke, even on a 3 inch hone, because that provides a better cutting angle. And that a rolling x-stroke is something you use when you have a blade that doesn't contact the hone evenly across the length.

I can see how if a blade has a toe that doesn't touch the hone when the blade is laid flat the toe will still make contact at the end of the normal x-stroke because that is the only part now on the hone, but the same cannot be said be a heel that doesn't touch the hone because you would have to tilt the blade, hence the rolling part, in order for it to make contact.

Please correct me if I'm wrong in this understanding.

That is my understanding of the rolling X as well. Smiling blades and/or warped spines are where it is required. I have read some feel that an X stroke isn't necessary on a 3" hone but I always use it and I think creates the best edge.