Thread: Finger placement while honing

Greetings,

Could some of the honemeisters post pictures showing their finger placement while honing - both directions?

No fingers on the blade! Thumb & first finger on the shank,they act as a fulcrum , the rest of them on the handle, with the little finger acting as a lever

Send me a PM next week and I wil send a pic . Then I will have time to do it.

No fingers on the blade!

Randy is probably right, but I do it this way because I can feel what is going on with the process. It also helps me to keep an even and negligable angular pressure on the entire blade across the stone instead of inadvertently tilting in either direction on that fulcrum. I am one who would probably have uneven wear across the blade if I did not use my finger near the center of the blade. I use very very little downward pressure. I do use the finger to stabilize and to help slide the blade across the stone. Maybe I could make the comparison to fishing, and putting your finger on the line to detect nibbles?
I am sure Randy says not to because any downward pressure will flex the blade where you wind up sharpening the side rather than the edge of the blade. I don't want to put words in his mouth... I'll let him respond. When I put my finger on the blade, it forces me to concentrate on what I am doing.





And Paul... This is your razor. It'll go out Monday...

Wow. I put three fingers across the blade and my thimb on the spine and use two hands. I guess it's from knife sharpening. I'm sure it's not proper razor technique.

Korndog, I've seen it done that way for years. I don't think you'll have any ill effects as long as you are light enough so as not to flex or distort anything. It would probably be more possible to press too hard that way, but if you're ever so light with your pressure, I'd think you'll be OK. The safest way is like Randy does it, but whatever works...Pay attention and watch your edges for signs of becoming uneven.

Originally Posted by threeputt

Korndog, I've seen it done that way for years. I don't think you'll have any ill effects as long as you are light enough so as not to flex or distort anything. It would probably be more possible to press too hard that way, but if you're ever so light with your pressure, I'd think you'll be OK. The safest way is like Randy does it, but whatever works...Pay attention and watch your edges for signs of becoming uneven.

Thanks for that. I am very careful with the technique and have gotten some nice edges, so I think I will keep doing it that way for now. I am a bit concerned if using a pressure sequence on a stubborn blade that there is a bit more concentration toward the middle section, so I need to be ever mindful of this.

It would seem that I too I'm not using the standard technique. I would guess this is due to two handed technique I use in sharpening other instruments and the fact that I use 3" wide hones eliminating the need for an X motion.

Randy, I've been using two hands with my fingers evenly spaced for the pass away from me and my thumbs for the pass toward me. Are there any ill effects from using this technique? I only use enough pressure to keep the blade flat on the stone. I'm achieving an even bevel and hair splitting results along the entire length of the blade.

Now's the time for me to change if this could damage a blade.

The responses to this have been excellent. I am guessing of course, but it would seem that the origin of the no fingers technique was probably to prevent excessive/uneven pressure on a specific spot of the blade.

If it works for you, without uneven wear on the blade, then use it.

I simply learned the no fingers method.

Bill, thanks for the pics!