Thread: One hand or two?

I've been watching YouTube, and some honemeisters there use two hands to hone. To me it looks more comfortable and more stable. I haven't honed anything yet, but when I placed my blade on a balsa hone with some paste, it was much easier to control it with two hands than with one.

I've seen the videos with others honing with one hand, and it looks a lot harder.

Is there a preferred method, or is it just a matter of what's more comfortable for you? IOW, does one method do a better job than another?

Thanks.

Depends on the razors. I have a 3/8"... try honing that with one hand. Goodluck. I tend to go 2 handed... less chance of screwing up.

Its whatever you feel comfortable with. I hold the hone in one hand and hone with the other. Its not like pool where a closed hand bridge is considered superior to an open hand one.

Honing is a combination of both Art and Science. The science part is knowing what stones to use and whatlimitations each one has. The Art part is exactly what you are asking about, what mechanical method should you use to go from dull to finished.
That is totally up to you. I would advise you to pick one and stick with it, at least until you are able to set the bevel, which includes it being sharp enough to go to the next stage, and then perhaps see how the other methods might fit into your confort zone. There are times when I find mixing methods actually help to finish a job.

Good luck,


Ray

I began with two hands and shortly thereafter this topic came up on the forum and I was influenced to go to one hand. I can't recall whether it was one post or whether it was a general consensus but one way or the other I began to use one hand and I've stuck with it ever since.

Like Ray said every now and then I will mix it up and maybe when doing circles I might reach over with the opposite hand and put a finger lightly on the belly of the blade but 99% of the time I'm a one hand honer. I'm not saying that is the 'right' way or the only way, just what I ended up doing.

it is only personal preferences.there is no differences in sharpness of the blade between them.if you want to be a honemeister it is different story.Try hone with non domintat hand or keep gun on your one hand and type text with next and send message lol.good luck with that