Thread: Why X-strokes?

First post here. I've been able to answer all my questions just by searching up until now.

I can understand if you only have a 2 inch wide hone why you have to do x-strokes, but what is the logic behind continuing to do them if your hone can contact you whole blade? Surely it increases the risk of uneven pressure?

Bill,
The purpose of using the X-stroke and rolling X-stroke are to allow complete contact of the edge to the stone from heel to toe during the stroke. Sometimes the heel or the toe do not make good enough contact to create the sharpness required, and the X-stroke helps to provide contact in those specific areas. As for the rolling X-stroke, this method is used for blades that have a slight warp in them and don't touch the stone completely across the blade. So if you put the blade on the stone facing one direction perhaps the middle touches and the heel and toe don't, and reversing direction indicates just the opposite. So the rolling X-stroke helps compensate for those high's and low's by starting with the heel down and the toe slight up, then make the X-stroke while, ever so slightly, raising the heel through the stroke to finish with the toe flat on the stone. This will provide complete contact of the edge through the stroke, thus eliminating wide bevels in some parts, and unsharpened areas in others. The amount of roll is very slight though and does take some getting use to. Oh by the way, most razors seem to have some sort of warp in them, so learn this method. It will make you smile when you need it.

Hope this helps

Ray

If you don't use the X Stroke the edge will usually not be even and that you don't want. You can end up with whats called a smiling blade (edge). Check the wiki on honing under Lyyn's tips.

It can also cause a frown, which is worse.
Some people do just go straight up & down the hone, if it's wide enough.
In my experience it doesn't work so well on the majority of blades. Honing takes the edge to such a degree of sharpness that very tiny imperfections in the grind will be highlighted. Even if i'm using a 3" wide DMT, i'll follow an X pattern.

Welcome to SRP Bill. I assume you've already perused the SRP Wiki but just in case you haven't here is the section on honing. If you go to Lynn Abrams on honing he addresses his reasons for using the x stroke as well as many other honing topics. He has honed thousands of razors and is the founder of SRP.

In addition here is an excerpt from a 1961 barber manual on honing and stropping. I have found it very usefull in my learning. They explain the x stroke in the manual also.

The answer is that you don't have to.

If your blade is both straight and the spine is flat, you can just use the push method, or angled method.

However, if your blade has a smile, you have to use a different stroke. Most of us use some version of the X-stroke.

While I personally do not claim to know or understand exactly why the x-stroke works, it just works better for me. I believe its because it compensates for any inconsistencies in the razor. Among other things.

Try it and see how you like it. I'm pretty sure all the really experienced honesters use the x-stroke or a variation thereof.

Very true a frown is a bit of a pain to remedy. Either one can be pretty easily avoided buy the X stroke.It also doesn't really matter what type of hone you use narrow or wide that stroke just works:-) As others have said and provided the links for the x stroke is very well illustrated in the Wiki's.
Welcome to SRP and have fun!!!

I learned two methods of honing from two people and I can't tell a difference in the edge. One was teh x-method, from Holli4Pirating,from and the other was teh circles method from JoeD. The circles method is you time your self doing small circles, say, one minute, on one side, then flip and do a minute on teh other side. I think this is similar to the back and forth method. You can do circles at every level on every hone apparently. Both those razors were sharpened by me, under supervision, and they came out fine despite my inexpertise. So I think, provided your blade makes good contact, you should in theory be fine. But as others say, the x is probably added insurace.

Originally Posted by khaos

I learned two methods of honing from two people and I can't tell a difference in the edge. One was teh x-method, from Holli4Pirating,from and the other was teh circles method from JoeD. The circles method is you time your self doing small circles, say, one minute, on one side, then flip and do a minute on teh other side. I think this is similar to the back and forth method. You can do circles at every level on every hone apparently. Both those razors were sharpened by me, under supervision, and they came out fine despite my inexpertise. So I think, provided your blade makes good contact, you should in theory be fine. But as others say, the x is probably added insurace.

khoas, you almost have my system down but you missed the finishing step on each hone. Yes, I do circles on each hone to 1) remove metal rapidly while setting the bevel and 2) after setting the bevel I use circles to polish the bevel.

THE IMPORTANT PART YOU FORGOT AFTER THE CIRCLES: After doing the circles I do the x-pattern to refine the edge. If you do not perform the x-patern your enge will not be sharp!!

That would of had you scratching your head for a while!! Sorry if things went too fast for everyone at the meet.

Don't forget the all important x-pattern ( about ten strokes) after the circles on each hone! Another point to be aware of: you really shouldn't go by the stroke count on the x-pattern but by the way it cuts arm hairs. Adjust the strokes to match the state of the edge.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by BillConnelly

First post here. I've been able to answer all my questions just by searching up until now.

I can understand if you only have a 2 inch wide hone why you have to do x-strokes, but what is the logic behind continuing to do them if your hone can contact you whole blade? Surely it increases the risk of uneven pressure?

Sorry, I don't have the time to read the complete thread. X-strokes will account for any deviation from flat in your hone or blade. Even if you keep your hones lapped completely flat the wear just from the current honing session will create areas or wear. The x-stroke gives the best chance of avoiding defects in the edge or bevel from these voids in the hone or any (even the slightest) warp of the blade.