Thread: Watching the water bead

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

That's interesting.... I'm learning to use my Charnley, and find that with my Coti, the water slides up and onto my blade, but when I move to the Charnley, the water is simply pushed down the hone. I don't use tape at all.

What gives?

I notice when going from one stone, where the water is moving up the blade, to another stone, I sometimes have to stay on the new stone for a time before the water starts to run up the blade. I assume it has something to do with the relationship between the edge and the surface of the stone, 'mating' as it were, but I am not sure.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

That's interesting.... I'm learning to use my Charnley, and find that with my Coti, the water slides up and onto my blade, but when I move to the Charnley, the water is simply pushed down the hone. I don't use tape at all.

What gives?

Same thing happens to me when I move up the grits. Once the bevel is set, its just a matter of polishing, when the blade is as polished as it can get on any particular stone the water runs up the edge and onto the blade. Then you move up a notch/grit and repeat the process. When you move up a grit you start to polish the edge even finer, so it will push the water
until the edge is polished sufficiently to allow the water to run up the blade.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Same thing happens to me when I move up the grits. Once the bevel is set, its just a matter of polishing, when the blade is as polished as it can get on any particular stone the water runs up the edge and onto the blade. Then you move up a notch/grit and repeat the process. When you move up a grit you start to polish the edge even finer, so it will push the water
until the edge is polished sufficiently to allow the water to run up the blade.

WOW! That explains a lot! This should be stuck. It's a great guideline to use when determining when to move to the next stone.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

WOW! That explains a lot! This should be stuck. It's a great guideline to use when determining when to move to the next stone.

I look forward to trying this tip in the future as a variation on the more traditional pyramid. Placing the technique somewhere within the Wiki might help a lot of us.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Same thing happens to me when I move up the grits. Once the bevel is set, its just a matter of polishing, when the blade is as polished as it can get on any particular stone the water runs up the edge and onto the blade. Then you move up a notch/grit and repeat the process. When you move up a grit you start to polish the edge even finer, so it will push the water
until the edge is polished sufficiently to allow the water to run up the blade.

I've always used Pyramids. (Lynn's mostly) I'm going to do some honing this weekend. I'm going to try this technique. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Originally Posted by JetHed

I've always used Pyramids. (Lynn's mostly) I'm going to do some honing this weekend. I'm going to try this technique. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Have fun! I hope you learn something new, its just one method and if it works for you so much the better. kelly

Try the circles that Lynn and Glen have been using too. Works a treat IME.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Try the circles that Lynn and Glen have been using too. Works a treat IME.

Agreed, my bevels have greatly improved since using the circle to sharp method.

I have always watched the wave when sharpening knives and as I have started with razors, but I have never heard of watching for the water to break over the blade. Thanks for the info. I look forward to putting it into practice.

In general, I find that those parts of the bevel that "push" water will be less sharp than those where the water flows onto the blade. This correlates well with TPT, arm hair lopping, and HHT. If I get seduced into believing the "pushing" areas will come around on higher grits, I find they usually do not, and I have to drop down and correct the problem. Wishful thinking never honed a blade.