Thread: What kind of steel is harder/easier to hone?

I've heard that stainless steel is a pain to hone, and Damascus steel is worse. What are the easiest metals to hone?

Stainless steel is not a pain to hone, and i am not sure why damascus steel will be a pain either? Damaskus steel is just solid core covered with damaskus patterned cladding. So really the ease of honing is determined by the core.

I don't think "harder to hone" is a good way to put it. Every razor is different. Some may take longer, some less time. Some may respond better to a given hone based on how that specific steel interacts with that specific hone; similarly, some combinations may be less than ideal.

Regardless of the reason, it's not so much hard as something that needs to be figured out.

OK here is a pic from Tuesday just another day of honing, this was an exceptional set of razors here though,(hence the pic) and perfect to help show my point...



A ton of different steels...

You have Damascus, Takeda, Carbon, and Very Hard Carbon, no SS in there that day but really no difference there either...

I used a 1k Chosera to set all the bevels then ran up through the Naniwa SS 1-3-5-8-10-12

I did the exact same thing this morning on 6 more razors a Dovo, Robeson, 2 Bokers, a Torrey and one I can't remember right now

The only differences were in the bevel set on the Chosera 1k once the bevel was set they all honed up pretty much the same...

This is what some of us keep trying to say about the consistency of certain hones...

Now perhaps you can attribute the fact that I see no discernible difference in honing the different steels...Because I have honed so many that I automatically adjust for pressure when I hone and don't realize it... I don't think that is correct but it is a variable so I mention it...

Now when you start tossing in other variables this starts to get a bit more complicated...Basically what I mean is you have to know your stones and their limitations... There are certain steels that I don't match with certain stones but that might only be with my honing style, you would have to learn that for your honing style See how the variables start to sneak in???

But in closing if somebody asks me, if there are differences I usually say not really enough to mention on the hones... Other might find them very difficult but I don't think that is the steel's fault

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I don't think "harder to hone" is a good way to put it. Every razor is different. Some may take longer, some less time. Some may respond better to a given hone based on how that specific steel interacts with that specific hone; similarly, some combinations may be less than ideal.

Regardless of the reason, it's not so much hard as something that needs to be figured out.

My experience exactly mirrors what holli4 said above. Personally I have an easier time with Solingen full hollows whether stainless or high carbon than with Sheffield, or other wedges. Each one is a different experience though and some come around quicker than others. The more you practice the more proficient you'll become, assuming you're doing it right from the beginning.

i would say if you do know what are you doing you should be ok in 95% of the time.
But there is PITA 5%. YOU GOT one of those you are in deep trouble.
gl