Thread: Pressure

When I started honing I followed that mantra of no pressure, coupled with an inexperienced technique my results were very poor. Possibly as I was almost paranoid about not applying any pressure.

Over time I have started applying pressure, I apply the most in the early stages and I gradually reduce up to the point of finishing the razor with none, this is seeming to be the best approach for me.

When I go back and attempt to hone all the way through with no pressure then the results are poor again.

Is this normal?

Yes it's normal. Pressure is your friend. You just have to know when to apply it.

Pressure should decrease as you move through the honing progression. I rarely use any more than the weight of my hand at 1K, and from 8K on up it's just the weight of the blade.

If you use serious pressure on a hollow ground razor, the blade will flex and the result can be an unsightly, tall bevel.

Great, nice to know that I'm doing it right.

Pressure.

Some->less->almost none->as little as humanly possible.

We stress no pressure because most folks starting out use way too much with bad consequences. Once you get more experienced you realize there are times when pressure is what the doctor ordered, in moderation, at the earlier stages with coarser stones and depending on what you are trying to do with the coarser stone. Certainly once you start moving towards the finishers the pressure decreases and by the time you're on that Escher or equivalent you use as little as possible.

The pdf of the 1961 barber manual excerpt on honing and stropping , found in the SRP Wiki help files here , recommends "firm" pressure if the razor is dull, decreasing the pressure "as the razor takes an edge." By the time the razor is at the finishing stages light to weight of the blade is usually the way to go IME.