Thread: Honing Mistakes?

Originally Posted by sffone

Sorry, but I just have to ask -- have you really bought 60 or more hones??

Yes I have. See my avatar....

Jimmy if you bought 60 hones already maybe you want to sell a couple? To say someone like me? You know that way you can have some extra cash to pick up a few more...

Originally Posted by economica

Jimmy if you bought 60 hones already maybe you want to sell a couple? To say someone like me? You know that way you can have some extra cash to pick up a few more...

I would but I need them all.

The honing mistake I made the most, and still do, although only twice a year or so lately, is called "wishful thinking".
All pointers say that the edge is not ready for finishing, or stropping, or test shaving, or whatever, but I do so anyway. Expecting some miraculous way of everything falling into place. It never does. You could throw all parts required to build an engine from the top of a building, and never they would fall "accidentally" into place and deliver a working engine. But still, every now and then, I find myself doing the razor-sharpening version of that behavior.

PS. I'm probably going to stir the pot with this... but flipping over the spine is not slower. Not in terms of trajectory, and certainly not in terms of ergonomics. It's probably the best way for learning how to hone fast without being counterproductive. (honing fast is not required, but using methods that require many laps, I like it ) Trying to speed up, is very likely to invite you to start an occasional stroke before the razor is fully flipped. Flipping it over the spine, there's not harm in that. But turning otherwise, starting too early will throw in the proverbial monkey wrench.
However unnatural it may feel to muscle memory at first, it does become second nature after a while.

Best regards,
Bart.

I am guilty of wishful thinking too!

Re: flipping the razor. I've never had the ability to flip it on it's side without fumbling with my grip on the turn (irrespective of the grip I'm trying). That's where the slow/uncomfortable comment comes from. I'm not trying to go fast necessarily, but the inability get into a rhythm makes the process much more time consuming than flipping it on the other side.

Fortunately, I've not messed up an edge doing this, but I know it's probably just a matter of time... Good thing is, I can bring it back. Honing is almost as fun as shaving, you know...

Originally Posted by Bart

I'm probably going to stir the pot with this... but flipping over the spine is not slower. Not in terms of trajectory, and certainly not in terms of ergonomics. It's probably the best way for learning how to hone fast without being counterproductive.
Flipping it over the spine, there's no harm in that. But turning otherwise, starting too early will throw in the proverbial monkey wrench.
However unnatural it may feel to muscle memory at first, it does become second nature after a while.

Best regards,
Bart.

I'm with Bart on this one. Not to be facetious guys, but how is flipping on the spine difficult to nail down? Aren't you doing just that while stropping (just a reverse movement from honing)?

Hey, whatever works for you and all that, but I just have to ask.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I'm with Bart on this one. Not to be facetious guys, but how is flipping on the spine difficult to nail down? Aren't you doing just that while stropping (just a reverse movement from honing)?

Hey, whatever works for you and all that, but I just have to ask.

I've wondered that myself. The only thing I can think of is that the edge trailing when stropping makes the difference in my hands... I don't know, but I didn't give up on the spine flip stroke after a week or two. I went months without being flip the razor on its spine without fumbling around with it in my hand... This is the point of the thread, btw: admitting the rules that we break... I know it's not "right", so let's not debate the issue.

Originally Posted by richmondesi

I've wondered that myself. The only thing I can think of is that the edge trailing when stropping makes the difference in my hands... I don't know, but I didn't give up on the spine flip stroke after a week or two. I went months without being flip the razor on its spine without fumbling around with it in my hand... This is the point of the thread, btw: admitting the rules that we break... I know it's not "right", so let's not debate the issue.

Paul do you hold the hone in your hand or is it on a surface?????

The mistake I most often make is assuming the next warped W&B wedge will sharpen up more easily than the last one did