Thread: Backhoning on finisher?

The recent discussion(s) about finishing on a BBW got me thinking....

What are your experiences backhoning (spine leading or "stropping" stroke) as a final strategy on a finishing hone? It seems to me that it might coax a little extra out of an edge, but logic and the real world are often strangers....

I really don't want to open up the whole BBW as a finishing hone debate, so let's not go there. Just want to know if you've used this on any finisher and, if so, what did you discover?

pcb01,

I always do 5 back-hones passes at the start on the finishing stone, but have never used them at the end, so I too would be interested in the feeback to your question

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I have used circles, which contains an element of back honing, as well as spine leading x patterns with high grit finishers. With a Shapton 30K it seems to increase the window in terms of the number of strokes that the blade will tolerate before you start to lose the edge. I don't think it gets you a superior edge than you can get with a standard edge leading stroke, but it makes the stone a bit more user friendly IMO.

The caveat is that I only maintain my own razors so my data sampling is pretty small. Lynn or one of the other high volume guys could certainly come to more credible conclusions.

I have been using the 3 edge leading 2 spine leading 1 edge leading finish on the 30k Shapton since shortly after the 2009 NC Razorcon...

It seems to work rather well IME and the other people that have PM or E-mailed me about it...

Other than that hone I haven't really experimented with it on other stones/hones

Originally Posted by gssixgun

...Other than that hone I haven't really experimented with it on other stones/hones

Well, that might be a neat experiment if you ever get oh, say, seven identical razors to try it on.

Good question regarding back honing, all my strokes contain a slight back hone motion to help seat blade edge and pull slurry water mix out from behind blade and out in front of edge.

This is how I do it. I have observed several different honemeisters over the last year, and this particular stroke is unique. It is difficult to learn but very effective. With practice it becomes a fluid motion.

When I place the razor on the stone, pull the blade back slightly approx 1". This helps to assure the blade is making even contact with the stone and pulls water/mix out in front of edge before you make your pass. At the end of your stroke, flip blade, pull back approx 1" and begin stroke. I hope this makes sense, you really need to see how it is done to get a better understanding. This stroke is extremely effective. Good luck and have fun.
Mike

I use circles on my synthetic hones up to 8k. The circles are followed by ~ 10 edge leading strokes. My finishers are natural stones. I get great results w/o circles or back honing on my natural finishers. Your results may vary as everyone's honing styles vary which vary the results. You need to use whatever gives you the best results with your honing styles and honing experience.

I use circles for every step of the process, from bevel-setting to finishing, and find among the benefits better heel coverage and a built-in backhone. I even reverse the circle (clockwise/counter-clockwise) and lengthen the circle to ensure that I regularly hone across the scratch-patterns and utilize a larger portion of the rock. As long as the pressure is both light and consistent (which certainly took a long time to develop,) then backhoning and circles present no problem when finishing.

Regarding Modine's comment about "a slight back hone motion," when I was still doing x-strokes I found the rhythm difficult, and eventually turned to a pigtail stroke. Glen has discussed it and I believe that there's a video of a Barber named Liam performing it on a Coticule. It's a great video, and I recommend finding it. The point is that the pigtail stroke contained an inherent backhone. It was the pigtail stroke that eventually brought me to use circles. Progressing from pigtails to circles is easy to do.

It's important to note that I use naturals almost exclusively. The only exception is a Naniwa SS 1K. My finishing is done mostly on Coticules, both new and vintage, but on occasion I move on to a Charnley.

I have done it for awhile on a Shapton 30k with good results. Just a few strokes but I like the edge it gives me. If I have a great edge going in to it I feel I get that extra pop.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

Regarding Modine's comment about "a slight back hone motion," when I was still doing x-strokes I found the rhythm difficult, and eventually turned to a pigtail stroke.

Pigtail stroke, is that what it's called? I do a basic X-stroke with a little semi-circular squiggle at the end of every stroke. I saw it once on the youtube video of the old barber touching-up on a coticule. I started doing it because I thought it looked kind of cool, but now I do it out of habit. (And I look cool doing it.) Pigtail stroke...I like it.

Christopher