Thread: Levels of Honing Proficiency

Some things are better left undefined. As I said, this is not an exact science and certainly something as detailed as honing can not be definitively labelled or categorized - very much in the same way that a 'grit' can not be definitively applied to a natural hone.

These sorts of things can only ever be based on comparables and even then it is personal.

As a broad answer, I am between a honist and a honemeister; however I would certainly not call myself either and I am by no means a mesiter of the art.

I seldom hone wedges and avoid badly damaged razors through preference, so my skills are never pushed to their limits. I am certain if they were I'd advance further....

The best title for me is genuine Rock Hound

Guys
I'm just having fun. I was also trying to think of what level of proficiency I had reached.

I was just foolin' about, so do what you wish with it.

Make sure you have fresh batteries installed in your Acme® Irony Detector

I have always considered a "honester" someone that thinks they are a "honemeister" and has no trouble taking your money and destroying your razor while learning.

Honing is taken very seriously by people. I am not sure why. Perhaps it is a man-thing...who knows?

If you can put an edge on your razor that shaves you comfortably, you have achieved your goal and should be happy with your effort.

It's when you want to start honing for others that the problems arise, because people are giving you money and expecting a service for that money. Not to mention they are trusting their face to your honing prowess.

As a rule of thumb, time is the big indicator of experience with honers. As far as I am concerned, a good honer has lots of experience with many and varied straights in many and varied conditions. And you just cannot get that kind of experience unless you've been at it for years, even if you are honing 10 razors a day.

That's not to say there are not variations from the rule - some people are, I am sure, naturals at honing. And some people may have been at it for 20 years and still cannot manage to lap their way out of a paper bag.

So I say the whole name thing is fun, but nobody should take self-proclaimed titles at face value, or even a little bit seriously. Like everything else in life, do the research. It is not hard to find out if someone is an experienced honer or otherwise by searching the forums or asking around.

James.

And in the not so serious light that Lawsonstone has meant for this thread, I propose a seven year apprenticeship from Honester/Honestrette, Rockhound/Rockbitch, Honist/ette, Honestrier/ette (Notice it takes the word 'Honest' to spell that one.), RockGuru, Stonecollecter and Journeyman Honemeister. Then when they reach their Twentieth year from Honester they can then consider themselves a full Druid Honemeister of the first degree. I reckon by then they might nearly know everything about honing, stones, steels, chemical analysis of stones and steel, circle dancing and human sacrifice...

Just my contribution.


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

I reckon by then they might nearly know everything about honing, stones, steels, chemical analysis of stones and steel, circle dancing and human sacrifice...
Mick

Is circle dancing the opposite of line dancing ???

LawsonStone may be joking, but...IMHO...the Aussies
(MickR, onimaru55)...really "get it."

There are no "titles"...at least none that have any real
practical significance.

The people that do the best job of work...in any
endeavor...will be appropriately recognized by
their peers. That's what matters. The rest is
"superfluous flummery."

To quote a line from a movie script....

"Badges, senor? We don't got to show you no stinking
badges!"

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Is circle dancing the opposite of line dancing ???

Line dancing should only be attempted sober, and is a more advanced form of dancing than circle dancing (which is allowed to be done while drunk). Square dancing is more advanced again and while this can be attempted drunk, usually ends with the apprentice smacking into a wall at some point...
I hope you are getting up to a respectable standard Oz, You won't make Druid Honemeister of the first degree if you can't get these basics down...


Mick

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

LawsonStone may be joking, but...IMHO...the Aussies
(MickR, onimaru55)...really "get it."

There are no "titles"...at least none that have any real
practical significance.

The people that do the best job of work...in any
endeavor...will be appropriately recognized by
their peers. That's what matters. The rest is
"superfluous flummery."

To quote a line from a movie script....

"Badges, senor? We don't got to show you no stinking
badges!"

Well said mate! As for Aussies 'getting it', it's more a national sport to 'take the p!ss', out of everything and everyone than actually 'getting it'. Yeah I know, I'm taking the p!ss outta ya mate... Thanks for the kind words.


Mick

I agree with Scipio here in that, on your scale, I'd say I'm somewhere between honist and honemeister, but again I wouldnt call myself either.

Its very hard to apply titles or grades to this sort of thing because its all so subjective and down to personal taste. That razor experiment that I've got running at the moment is a case in point. Three razors honed the same way but finished on three different naturals and a plethora of different opinions about which is the nicest to shave with.

I remember reading Lynn saying somewhere here that if you hone your own razors and get edges you like then you become your own honemeister, which I think is a good way of looking at it.

If you look back to the older threads there was some talk about doing a honing proficiency test, and then all the subsequent debate that led to the decision that it wouldnt be a good idea.

The way I think of it is that I enjoy the hobby, I enjoy honing and I enjoy solving the little puzzle that is each razors edge. Once that puzzles solved then I look forward to the next one!