Thread: "X" pattern?

I just got my norton water stones 1000 grit, 4000, and 8000, and I tried to sharpen my DOVO razor using the x pattern and had horrible results. I reset the bevel and it was popping hairs on my arm but when I finished the pyramid method, It wasn't even close to shaving. I spent about 4 hours straight working my way up to the 8000 then going down to the 1000 when I wasn't getting results, It just continued to remain dull.

So I decided to try a different method. I simply just placed the blade on the hone and went up an down flipping the blade like you would doing the x pattern. It only took about 20 minutes and I was able to get a sharp edge. Shaving was smooth and I was so glad I got my razor back to where it was after all that time! So, does anybody here sharpen there razor like that?

Bill

with X-pattern all the time.
Its hard to tell what the problem might be without watching you hone, but maybe uneven stroke/too much pressure when the razor is going over the stone edge?

Pretty much sounds like Stefan nailed it,,, as you are drawing off the stone, you are maybe dropping the hand and dulling the bevel on the edge of the stone...
Try lifting your elbow, I don't know how many times I heard Lynn say that to the guys at the last NC meet-up...

Now the straight up and down stroke will work if the blade and the stones are also perfectly straight, but most are not, so this is why the X stroke is used..
Not using that X stoke during honing gives you a much higher risk of frowning the blade or having dull spots along the edge...Some fun HUH????

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Pretty much sounds like Stefan nailed it,,, as you are drawing off the stone, you are maybe dropping the hand and dulling the bevel on the edge of the stone...

.... and if the edges of your hones are not chamfered, or just got chipped (which the naniwas are particularly prone to) your edge will be gone in a single bad stroke.

Yes, I do hone like that on occasion. Whatever gets you the edge is my motto.

However, you may want to work on your actual x pattern technique, as it can come in handy on some razors. You want a smooth and even contact whatever stroke you use. As others have said, it sounds like that might not be happening for you when you do the X pattern.

BTW, you can mimic the X pattern striation pattern by angling the blade on the hone (heel leading, up to 45 degrees), even when just going up and down the hone in a non-X pattern. I do that a lot, and I find that gives a more comfortable shave for me.

James.

Glad to hear you got it one way or the other. I can remember taking forever and feeling like I was getting nowhere .... and I was. Anyhow, it would be a good idea to get the hang of the x pattern as Jimbo said. Try the marker test on your next one and see if the blade is making contact all the way through the stroke by the removal of the marker from the edge. That will let you know if your stroke needs to be tweaked for that particular blade and if going straight across will work as opposed to the x.

Originally Posted by conan

I just got my norton water stones 1000 grit, 4000, and 8000, and I tried to sharpen my DOVO razor using the x pattern and had horrible results. I reset the bevel and it was popping hairs on my arm but when I finished the pyramid method, It wasn't even close to shaving. I spent about 4 hours straight working my way up to the 8000 then going down to the 1000 when I wasn't getting results, It just continued to remain dull.

So I decided to try a different method. I simply just placed the blade on the hone and went up an down flipping the blade like you would doing the x pattern. It only took about 20 minutes and I was able to get a sharp edge. Shaving was smooth and I was so glad I got my razor back to where it was after all that time! So, does anybody here sharpen there razor like that?

Bill

No big need for an X on a big hone.

The X will expose the entire blade to the hone where
straight strokes would wear the hone and razor unevenly.

In fact on a big hone an X pattern would spare the heal
at the expense of the nose of the razor eventually....
giving excess wear to the nose.

As for why the X gave you a dull razor I can only guess.
My guess is that at the end of the stroke the process
of flipping the blade and moving the blade back to the
heal on ready position was not ideal while the simple
flip kept the back of the blade flat on the razor smoothly
setting the edge on the hone with the back of the blade
fully and evenly in contact with the hone.

For a personal razor that sits flat on a large flat hone
almost any stroke that gives a good shave is fine.

At the other extreme I once got an excellent shave
honing ONLY on the my Belgium Slurry Stone. It is big
enough to lay the razor flat but not big enough to do
anything other than pull the razor with less than 1/4"
of forward progress. In all fairness that slurry stone
must have come from the corner of a wonderful
water stone... much much better than my Coticule.

First, congrats on your persistence. Honing is not something you will master overnite.

Second, I think your mistake was going back to the 1000 grit when the edge off the 8000 was not good enough. The 1000 is primarily a tool to remove old, oxidized steel, chips and nicks and to start forming a bevel. The primary razor bevel formation is done with the 4000 grit. There usually is no need to go back to the 1000 grit once the edge is cleaned up.