Thread: the Rolling X

I've been working a little each day for a few days on the " rolling x", looking for a consistent stroke that I can lock into muscle memory. I'm getting some decent edges on razors that were defying me before, so I guess I'm getting it.

Now comes my question and I hope it doesn't sound too dumb --- to you guys who "roll" a bunch -- is this more of a pressure roll or an actual incline roll or both? If I try to speed up the stroke a bit, the results seem ok, but it feels more like I'm varying pressure. I hope I explained this ok.

Thanks for any input on learning this skill.

Hm... I actually don't know how to answer, cause at this point I just do it without thinking... I guess my advice would be watch the way the water interacts with the edge of the blade, and do whatever feels natural to shift where the water waves/runs up the razor/whatever it's doing.

This is actually a very good question on a very mis-understood stroke...

First off NEVER take the spine off the hone, period...

The spine and the edge directly across from that spot of the spine have to both be touching the hone at the same time.
The "rolling" is more pressure, than actual lifting of the razor, yes I know what it shows in the Wiki and the Videos but those are both exaggerated to show the stroke..

Something to keep in the back of your mind, the Rolling X is a "cheater" stroke it is designed to get the edge sharp again on a difficult smile /wedge, it will not correct the bevel, you will end up with a "Lumpy" bevel.. Honest
Don't think I am right??? just try a 45 heel forward across the hone stroke, and tell me what you feel, it will go thump, thump, thump, all the way across.. What you are doing is just getting the very edge of the bevel sharp again... It works, and you can shave, but you are not fixing the bevel...Does that even matter??? that is for you to answer... (this of course pertains to an old razor that has been honed a lot)

As Dylan said already, watch the ripple of water, keep that as even as you possibly can and you should be fine,, learn the Magic Marker test too it helps when you first start...


Embrace the Challenge !!!

It is both. However, just focus on watching the water bead up in front of the edge and flow from heel to toe.

I find it is more a pressure change if the blade doesn't have a smile. In any case, with or without a smile, I also find it is better to get rolling away from the heel fairly quickly and spend more stroke time toward the tip.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

This is actually a very good question on a very mis-understood stroke...

First off NEVER take the spine off the hone, period...

The spine and the edge directly across from that spot of the spine have to both be touching the hone at the same time.
The "rolling" is more pressure, than actual lifting of the razor, yes I know what it shows in the Wiki and the Videos but those are both exaggerated to show the stroke..

Something to keep in the back of your mind, the Rolling X is a "cheater" stroke it is designed to get the edge sharp again on a difficult smile /wedge, it will not correct the bevel, you will end up with a "Lumpy" bevel.. Honest
Don't think I am right??? just try a 45 heel forward across the hone stroke, and tell me what you feel, it will go thump, thump, thump, all the way across.. What you are doing is just getting the very edge of the bevel sharp again... It works, and you can shave, but you are not fixing the bevel...Does that even matter??? that is for you to answer... (this of course pertains to an old razor that has been honed a lot)

As Dylan said already, watch the ripple of water, keep that as even as you possibly can and you should be fine,, learn the Magic Marker test too it helps when you first start...


Embrace the Challenge !!!

That was very well said and cannot be stressed enough. The rolling X is done to overcome, not correct, a flaw in the blade.