Thread: When to use an X and when to use a 45-X

The first time I put any newly acquired razor to a stone I always use the marker on the edge. It tells me whether a regular x stroke brings the edge in full contact with the surface of the hone in a couple of strokes. Once I know if I need to use a regular x, a heel leading 45 degree or a rolling x I wipe the edge off with lighter fluid to get excess marker off. I always get some up along the sides of the bevel and would rather get it off before the razor is sharpened. It is a good idea to keep notes on your honing and to write down what stroke you needed for each razor so you only have to do the marker test once on each one.

I have found IME that the 45 degree x works on some smiling blades while others do better with the rolling x. Depends on how extreme the smile or warp is. For the more radical smiling or warped blades the rolling x is what I feel is needed. I noticed after reading Lynn's suggestion on the 45 degree x that as the heel leaves the hone and your stroke is progressing the edge and spine will still lay on the surface. In a 0 degree x unless the blade is straight and flat it will not make full contact for the length of the blade.

This barber manual in the SRP Wiki help files here has been very helpful to me. Take a look at page 24 where the optimum edge profile and how to get and maintain it is described. I shoot for this to avoid the dreaded frown as described in the article. Good info on stropping in there as well.

Also note that the illustration showing the blade angle relative to the hone on page 23 is heel leading and around 10 degrees. The authors instruction to apply more pressure at the heel and point and almost none in the center is also something that I apply on blades unless they have a perfectly straight edge from heel to point. If that is the case I try for equal pressure all the way. The above is just IME and the way I my honing has evolved to date. Subject to change if I see or hear of a better way or discover something myself. In other words, YMMV.