Thread: just a thought...

I have been reading a lot about the Pyramid System of honing by using two different stones, which got me thinking about using two different strokes the same way to further define the teeth.
The same principle applies I imagine. I am just starting out with honing and like most I have hit a little plateau and can't quite get it there. I will keep plugging along and will get it.
I just thought maybe someone had already tried it or may be willing to see if it has any merit.
So X strokes alternating with the straight brush strokes using pyramid type system to refine the edge.
Just thought I would throw it out there.

Thoughts?

Kevin

My understanding of the pyramid is that it is to remove scratches as quickly as possible without building a wire edge. Varying your stroke direction can do the same thing. Personally, I like circles and X's; circles always cut across the scratch pattern because the direction is always changing, and I follow circles with an X to get a uniform scratch pattern. Once I get to the 8k level, I only do X's, because by then the rougher scratches are all gone and the chances of creating a wire edge are (for me) slim to none, so there is no further need for circles.

If X's and straight strokes work for you, run with it till experimentation shows you something better (if there is something better - I don't know).

Yes, I was also going to mention circles as an option as well but didn't want to go there since it is usually meant for deeper work, like to get out chips and such. My blade seems to have stopped getting sharp at about the arm hair cuts but not much further than that.
I am wondering it I need a finishing hone like a Japanese 12k or a colicule.
Any advice?

I wouldn't say circles are only for removing chips; I use circles on just about every blade i hone up on my Norton 1k and on my Naniwa 5k - juts normal bevel setting and mid level sharpening (removing scratches from the 1k).

You should be able to get a good shave off an 8k, so if you're not getting to that point, a higher grit hone will not really help. In much the same way I don't continue by progression until I hit my sharpness goals at a given level, going past the 8k without getting a good shave is not advisable.

Kevin shot me a PM, which I responded to, but I wanted to also post the PM here, in case it might be helpful to anyone else:

In getting a great shaving edge, there are a lot of factors. The first one is setting a really good bevel. I don't move up off my 1k hone until it will shave hair off my arm fairly easily. Also, at this point, if I feel the edge with my thumbpad, it should feel very "sticky" - like a sharp pocket knife. When I pass these two tests, I move up. From there, the tests get a bit more subjective, and it takes some time to learn what you are looking for at each level. Early in your honing career, a method that might work well is, whenever you think you are done on a given hone, try shaving some arm hair. Then go back and do some objective number (like maybe 20) more X strokes and try to shave arm hair again - if it cuts the same it's time to move on, but if there is any improvement, go back and do 20 more. Then retest. Keep doing this until you find no more improvement. This will ensure that you get the most out of each hone that you can (not to say that you're getting the most possible out of each hone, because when you have 6 months or however much more experience honing, you should do better off each given hone). When you've done this up through your 8k hone, try a test shave. If it is comfortable to shave with, you are in good shape. If not, you need to do something to find improvements.