Thread: Basic honing, regular movement in strokes.

Hi everyone

I am quite new to honing, and wonder if you could be of any help in what annoys me most.
Though I find the stroke of the razor towards me during the x movement very fluid and regular, it is harder to maintain the razor flat when it goes away from me.
When looking at the edge , i do see a larger shiny edge on one side than on the other.

Honing with one hand would be no problem if I had to hone only with a stroke towards me, but I have to do both sides , so I prefer to use both hands ; making sure not to put any pressure, just maintaining the razor flat one the hone, drawing and pushing. I obtain quite a good result with this method but I'd really like to use only one hand.

Is it just me or are there some of you who just can't hone with one hand ?
Is there a problem using two hands, even if one keeps in mind not to use any pressure ?
Is there a trick or position that i should take care of ?
How can i be so confident in a stroke and hesitant in another ?

Fab

Hi Fab, IME I find it easier to hone with one hand and to have the hone with the longest direction from right to left rather than with the end towards me and bringing the razor towards and then away from me.

OTOH in videos I've seen Lynn do it towards and away. I guess it is a matter of what you find most comfortable and practice makes perfect.

The edge...bevel.. being larger on one side than the other may be the amount of pressure you're putting on it or it may be that you need to do some circles to even things out. IME sometimes it be that way.

Thanks Jimmy.
I'll try that, compare and opt for what is most comfortable.

One further observation on the bevel.... in a perfect world if the blade is ground on center and the maker grinds the bevel perfectly even on each side, the spine is dead on you start with an equal bevel.

That isn't always the case and IME while it is nice to have an equal bevel it isn't always going to work out that way. You can still get a great shave and a sharp razor with the bevel not being perfectly symmetrical. At least that is how I have found it to be IME.

I hadn't thought about that

thanks Jimmy

I'm struggling with an asymmetrical bevel right now. It has only just dawned on me that the blade could not possibly be perfectly flat and perfectly ground throughout the entire length of the blade. So, after many attempts at honing techniques to re-set the bevel, I've decided that, if the blade shaves properly, I will not get obsessed with visually perfecting the edge.

Unfortunately, it doesn't shave very well, right now, especially at the toe end of the blade. I'll probably try two more times before sending it out, but I've still got an old blade to keep practicing on.

I seem to prefer a side-to-side movement, but I still can't keep the blade in full contact with the stone using only one hand.

Also think about getting a cheap razor to practice honing

-Chief

try circular motion in each direction, that might help with evening the pressure.

I can see this being a more natural movement. I am at the point now where i have gotten used to the "forward/back" stroke though.

Old barbers cant be wrong though, here are the instructions from my vintage coticule.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Hi Fab, IME I find it easier to hone with one hand and to have the hone with the longest direction from right to left rather than with the end towards me and bringing the razor towards and then away from me.

OTOH in videos I've seen Lynn do it towards and away. I guess it is a matter of what you find most comfortable and practice makes perfect.

The edge...bevel.. being larger on one side than the other may be the amount of pressure you're putting on it or it may be that you need to do some circles to even things out. IME sometimes it be that way.

Thanks a lot for your contribution.

I have tried several techniques on old cheap razors and what I find most comfortable with is using two hands in a 45 degree angle. That way I have noticed the blade remains flat and pushes water along its entire length.

I'd really like to use one hand only for I have watched Lynn's video and it seemed so simple. And simplicity is often key to success, but whatever I do, slow or fast, when the blade goes away from me, it keeps on raising a bit and i know the movement is wrong for it's not done at the same speed than the other way and the blade rocks slightly

If using two hands is ok, then I'll stick to it. I am careful about using no pressure, well ... I think so !