Thread: Honing technique question.

When i hone (bench top style,) i find that my stroke going away from me, sharpens/polishes a razor edge much faster than the stroke coming towards me. I am always having to compensate for that by either doing more strokes towards me or apply more pressure to achieve an equal edge for both sides.
Do you guys experience the same issue and if so: What do you do about it?
I could definately use some help on this guys.

Thanks,

Mac

I orient the stone so there is no away stroke. At about 2/8. Only two angular side-to-side strokes.

I do the same stroke, tward and away. No problems now, did have trouble with a warped edge once that was a bugger ...

Do not use pressure, more than likely you already are adding to much pressure. This warps the edge slightly, pushing the edge away from the stone = high bevels. For me the tward stroke was always a harder pressure stroke and I had to get over useing more force. Now I have very few issues.

Funny that you would ask today.

I was just talking to somebody else in the chat last night who had the same issue, and it was always the worst at the heal of the razor.

Then this morning, I was noticing the same for myself while honing a wedge. In my case at least, I suspect pressure was at least partly to blame because I was honing out some small chips from a very big wedge and had to put some pressure on it. Even at that, a 3/64" chip took a couple hours to hone out.

Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

I do the same stroke, tward and away. No problems now, did have trouble with a warped edge once that was a bugger ...

Do not use pressure, more than likely you already are adding to much pressure. This warps the edge slightly, pushing the edge away from the stone = high bevels. For me the tward stroke was always a harder pressure stroke and I had to get over useing more force. Now I have very few issues.

Yeah, ive noticed when i push away, its with my thumb (much stonger) and when i pull towards me (index finger), not as strong.

Mac

Is your grip different when going towards you from going away?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I orient the stone so there is no away stroke. At about 2/8. Only two angular side-to-side strokes.

2 and 8 oclock angles, feels a bit awkward, but i'll give 'er a shot.

Thanks,

Mac

Originally Posted by Leighton

Is your grip different when going towards you from going away?

Yeah, going away, definately feels stronger, but a less stable swipe.

Mac

Originally Posted by McWolf1969

Yeah, going away, definately feels stronger, but a less stable swipe.

Mac

From what limited information you have given me, it sounds like your grip is influencing a different amount of pressure or different angle of the blade. Could just be that your doing that anyway too. But I would try to make each stroke as identical as possible. If that makes sense.

But thats just my ill-informed opinion on a very complicated subject.

Originally Posted by McWolf1969

2 and 8 oclock angles, feels a bit awkward, but i'll give 'er a shot.

Thanks,

Mac

That might be the rub. I place the stone at 2/8 because it feels natural and allows me to use the natural pivot in my elbow. I think that is more important. The elbow is the pivot and the blade is held in the fingertips.