Thread: Honing Mistakes?

Ok, the more I have honed the more I break the "rules" in certain ways.

My biggest no no is flipping the razor the wrong way... I always flip it towards towards the edge because flipping it on the spine is just too slow and uncomfortable to me. Another is applying pressure...

Ok, so what are your "honing mistakes" that you'd care to share?

I agree that flipping the razor over the spine is slower and I actually do the same thing (incorrectly going the wrong way) when doing multiple passes. Like when I need to do some work on the hone.

However when I start moving up the stones toward higher grits I slow way down and roll over the spine when changing directions. As far as pressure goes I always strive for as little pressure to no pressure as possible. Having said that I'm still pretty new to this hobby and am building technique more than speed.

I guess the only thing I do incorrectly is using two hands as opposed to only one. I just feel like I can control the stroke much more efficiently and I can really feel what is happening on the hone, especially at higher grits, with two hands as opposed to one. Anyway, I guess what is most important is what feels natural to the person honing the blade. If you feel good or natural flipping the blade the "wrong way" who is to say that this is incorrect. Especially when what is important is what happens when the blade is on the stone. Who cares how you get it there?

i think that fliping the razor the wrong way is my only fault, and i cant get the hang of turning it on the spinei have tried and tried .i gues it comes from sharpening my work knifes for so meany years ,but on the good side i have never touched the edge on the hone while fliping the razor.

I can't imagine NOT flipping the razor on the spine, anything else feels awkward and dangerous.

My current bad habit is difficult to explain: keeping the razor flat on the hone during the X stroke. I have no problem if it's a rolling X because I try to operate on the "One spot on the blade/one spot on the hone" mentality, and the rolling X excels at this.
However if this blade has no smile and too big to come straight down the hone, I'm noticing I have a tendency to lift the toe as I move through the stroke. I think I'm trying too hard not to use any pressure? Dropping my elbow? I dunno, but I'm aware of it and that's step one to fixing it.

Nope, no honing mistakes ever. I'm perfect.

I do the same on the roll & use enough pressure for feedback thru the SR, which is probably too much by some standards. Works for me & no complaints to date from others...

My honing mistake is using two hands. I hold the razor with my right hand and place my left hand on top of the spine, in a holding manor. I do this to help keep the razor flat.

I also might be putting to much pressure with both of my hands on the razor.

Practice makes perfect!

My mistake was buying 60 + hones.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

My mistake was buying 60 + hones.

That's chuckle worthy

Too much pressure for me.

I was like a bull in a china shop.



Oh, and Ebay. Yeah, go figure.