Thread: In need of honing help

So, here's my conundrum. I've done a bit of honing, and had quite good results.. I generally use the small circle/X stroke combination in Lynn's videos. I've also used modified X's/sweeping/swooping strokes for some blades with uneven hone wear...

However, every time I come to a blade with a noticeable smile, no matter how small, that keeps either the toe, heel, or both from making complete contact, I'm at a complete loss... I know the theory and implementation of the "Rolling X", and I know what it should be doing, and how it should be working, but I just can't get it to work... I can't get smiling blades set with a bevel no matter how hard I try.

So, I am here to beg for help... Is there anyone within two or three hours of Medina, Ohio, who is skilled in the art of the rolling x (and honing in general) who is willing to let me into their home and give me a few lessons? Or can anyone direct me to a real epiphany of a honing guide? I've gone through past threads, the wiki, and everything else I could find, and I still can't get the rolling X and my smiley blades right...

It's late (or early?).. I'm rambling... If anyone can help me on any of these fronts, please, let me know

Cheers,
Jeremy

Ladies and Gents! A wonderful thing has occurred! I have not mastered the Rolling X by a LOOONG stretch, but I'm starting to get it! Things are starting to click!!

It's weird... I haven't actually improved anything noticeably, but I found one piece of advice that, somehow, pushed my technique just that liiiiittle bit further and led to a breakthrough..

I forget what video/site it was, but I heard this gem: "Use your pinky, under the scales, to control the pressure of the blade as you roll it"

This sounded confusing, but I gave it a go... And it felt so natural! It worked amazingly! The magic marker comes away in one beautiful clean streak across a nice small bevel... It's not fully set yet, but 3/4 of the blade is shaving arm hair! It's so close I can taste the success!

Now if only I had more arm hair!

using the pinky's a great tip , cheers

Success! It took a few hours (Holy hell, it's already 5:30 AM?!) But this beautiful Torrey is now a fully shave ready mirror... God that's a good feeling!

It really is one of those times when practice makes perfect..! It took me a while to get right as well, and it took me several hours to set the bevel on a W&B wedge with a smile to it, but now that razor is one of my finest shavers.

The thing to look for is making sure you make contact the full way along the edge as you move down the stone, by watching the little ripple of water in front of the edge.

I also find that honing with the heel leading helps alot with uneven bevels.

Congrats for getting it sorted!

Originally Posted by Stubear

It really is one of those times when practice makes perfect..! It took me a while to get right as well, and it took me several hours to set the bevel on a W&B wedge with a smile to it, but now that razor is one of my finest shavers.

The thing to look for is making sure you make contact the full way along the edge as you move down the stone, by watching the little ripple of water in front of the edge.

I also find that honing with the heel leading helps alot with uneven bevels.

Congrats for getting it sorted!

Yeah, the Heel leading roll did a whole lot of good for me! I can't wait to shave this thing tomorrow, but I've now been awake for 24 hours even... I think I should put some time in bed between now and my next shave ... Maybe.

Cheers, SRP, and good night!

Jeremy

Watch the water as you roll and move across the hone. It will show you what part of the razor is in contact with the hone. Also, when you feel/look for the bevel every time you check the edge, the rolling X gives you the ability to focus in on the parts of the edge that need more work without overdoing parts that are there already (i.e. if the toe is set but the rest is not, don't roll all the way up to the toe - if the middle is set but the ends are not, roll slowly at the ends but more quickly over the middle or do mini-rolls on only the toe and heel).

If and when you get there, you can also do rolling circles, which I find to be a lifesaver when honing quarter hollows.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Watch the water as you roll and move across the hone. It will show you what part of the razor is in contact with the hone. Also, when you feel/look for the bevel every time you check the edge, the rolling X gives you the ability to focus in on the parts of the edge that need more work without overdoing parts that are there already (i.e. if the toe is set but the rest is not, don't roll all the way up to the toe - if the middle is set but the ends are not, roll slowly at the ends but more quickly over the middle or do mini-rolls on only the toe and heel).

If and when you get there, you can also do rolling circles, which I find to be a lifesaver when honing quarter hollows.

Rolling CIRCLES? Man, I need to meet you at some point so you can show me all these tricks... Seems like you have quite the honing report!

I'm sure I'm not the only one that does rolling circles - it really cuts down on bevel setting time, and I use them on any smiling razor in place of normal circles. I personally cannot do circles on a smiling razor without rolling it, because I don't know how to get the whole edge to contact the hone without rolling it. I did a short writeup of it here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/511701-post11.html

I can find it quickly because I remember I referred to it as "rocking rolling circular madness," and since RRCM is 4 letters I can search for it.

I'm actually off to do the RRCM right now with a PITA W&B...

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I'm sure I'm not the only one that does rolling circles - it really cuts down on bevel setting time, and I use them on any smiling razor in place of normal circles. I personally cannot do circles on a smiling razor without rolling it, because I don't know how to get the whole edge to contact the hone without rolling it. I did a short writeup of it here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/511701-post11.html

I can find it quickly because I remember I referred to it as "rocking rolling circular madness," and since RRCM is 4 letters I can search for it.

I'm actually off to do the RRCM right now with a PITA W&B...

Thanks a lot, Dylan! I'll have to find a smiling junk-er and practice that!

Rocking rolling circular madness... That's a mouthful :

Edit: Here's a question: how many strokes do you do of the rolling X on the post-1k hone, then an 8k, then your finisher? When I'm doing straight blades, I Do 40 on each side -small circles- on the 1k followed by 10 x strokes... Then I move to the 5k and do 40 small circles on each side with pressure followed by 10 x strokes with pressure... Then, still on the 5k, 40 circles each side, no pressure, and 10 x strokes, no pressure. Lastly, I do 10 pressureless x strokes on the 8k and 12k followed by a diamond pasted felt strop... All that being said, I have no clue how many strokes to do on each grit with the Rolling X... If I can get the rolling circles down, I will probably stick with the 40 circles each side on the 1k.. But I don't know how many /just/ strokes to do from there..?

That was a bit more information than necessary... but... yeah... How many strokes do you use?

Cheers,
Jeremy