A Honing Lesson from my barber
So today I took my rock and steel to the barber shop. My barber had agreed to give me some lessons in honing, and so I took him up on it.
It wasn't earth shattering, what he taught me--he focused on technique, strokes and pressure and whatnot. It helped me, indeed, but there isn't a lot I can share here except for some facts about honing Kamisori.
He raised a HEAVY slurry on his Kiita, really digging the nagura in there, and started to hone. First off, he said you start with your body position--the hone on a table, your body centered above it with your eyes aligned with the center of the hone (which should be nice and long). This position helps regulate the length and proportion of your strokes.
Put the razor on the hone at a slight angle, handle leading, Omote ("flat" side, NO kanji side, etc) down. Place the first two fingers of your left hand in the hollow of the blade ("ura" or Kanji side up) and put pressure on the blade--not a lot, but some. The right hand on the handle is only for balance--no pressure at all from the right hand. In that position, do about TEN back and forth strokes--Up and down. Then, flip the razor (Kanji side DOWN now) and do ONE spine leading stroke.
If the razor needs more sharpening, continue that pattern until it's done.
My barber says he can tell a good edge by looking. He insists you go PAST mirrored until it looks a little dark--black? He also says the HHT is a good test...
SO, I trust his skill in the maintenance of edges. I've shaved with a few of his edges, blades he's used for decades, and they are all exceptionally good. Smooth and sharp. Of course, all of his edges would have been MAINTAINED, I doubt he's done much bevel setting, (But I could be wrong...He does sharpen other people' blades, scissors too, and he says they are often in terrible shape...).
So that is how I will hone Kamisori from now on. No controversy for me--he says it, I will do it, and gladly.
Oh, and one more thing. He said when I hone three razors to his satisfaction, he'll give me his Kiita (Which cost more than $1000 40 years ago...it's at least 12"x3"x2". HUGE)...So practice time is here!!!!