Thread: Not sure how to use a Swaty

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. A special thanks to Jimmy for posting the directions that came with a Swaty. I can't wait to get honing.

Originally Posted by bulldog

How exactly do you feel that the lather makes it easier to use? What's the difference in your opinion between water and lather?

The lather (or soap) seems to pull the blade to the surface of the stone.
It is most obvious when using a very light touch and the blade is
balanced on your finger and you only want the weight of the blade
on the hone. Too much and it hardly touches the hone but having
said that the feeling of no pressure is a good thing. Dilute the soap
in bits until you feel the hone and also the no pressure balance point.

I also see that it wets the hone and blade slightly better
when I had previously oiled the blade. I also see the swarf
from a previous honing session lift and flush away on some
hones.

Not much... just a tiny bit.

Your experience may be different.....

My DOVOs get their best edge off my Swaty. I took it on vacation recently as a travel hone and got fantastic shaves from my two DOVOs. My TIs react more favorably to my spyderco UF which is the same medium but different manufacture. Thanks for the old directions. I forgot the difference in finish.