Thread: Technique help

I read through the forums here and need clear cut advise before I put steel to stone.

I've found some tidbits of advise about honing my slowly dulling Dovo. I understand to tape the spine of the blade with black electrical tape so as not to ruin the intricate detail. This would lead me to believe I should hone in the direction of spine to blade, letting the spine lead and have the blade follow. Yet, I've seen videos online that show honing from blade to spine. So which direction is proper?

Also, I've read about the "X" pattern, but cannot find any description of it in this forum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

No no, sharp end leads! Place the spine on one end of the hone, then gently lower the cutting edge until it too rests on the hone and is pointing towards the far end. The honing direction is then toward the far end of the hone with the sharp end leading the taped end. It's the opposite of the stropping motion, where the spine leads the blade.

The X pattern is just that: hone from top right of stone to bottom left of stone. Then slide your razor (on it's spine) to the top left of stone, lower blade back onto hone, and move from top left to bottom right. Actually, someone's avatar (is it randydance?) shows the X pattern diagramatically.

James.

Trackzilla

Welcome to the very addictive world of SRP.

In answer to your question you can tape the spine of your razor when you hone if you wish, a lot of guys do this to protect a decorative edge. To your second question when you hone the edge leads on the stone ie: opposite to the way you strop the razor.

The X patten can be found in the help section of this site or you can look at one of the guys avitar's, I can't recall the name at the moment but you will see a animated picture (in yellow I think) of how the x pattern works.

Again welcome mate

Dazza

Jimbo,

You got in while I was still typing, good on ya

Originally Posted by Aussie

Jimbo,

You got in while I was still typing, good on ya

Dazza,

fastest fingers in the west!!

James.

trackzilla,

The avitar to look at is by Randy tuttle (randydance062449)

For a recent post look in the hone section, down near the bottom is the subject how to lap a swatty. Rany answered the question and you can see the X pattern on his avitar there.

Hope this helps. Unless Jimbo beat me again

I really appreciate the explanations. I've seen the avatar you speak of and it really threw me off at first. Well, my Norton 4K/8K is soaking and I'll see how it goes.

Thanks again.

Well, I hope you haven't started or at least haven't gotten too far with that electrical tape yet. Unless you are trying to protect some gold on the spine or something, the only reason to use tape would be for a major reconstruction. IF you are still going to use it for a retouch or simple resharpen, you should use something very thin like regular cellophane tape so as not to change the bevel.

Also watch out for the pressure. A little at the beginning is okay, but go gently, smoothly, carefully and EVENLY along the edge.

Good luck and welcome to a new realm of patience.

X

This is the avatar. Also check out the help files. There is an animation by Superfly that is simply excellent. There are two of them. One is an X pattern and the other is a straight across push pattern.

BTW, I always use electrical tape thru the entire honing process. I hate flat shoulders on my razors.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

This is the avatar. Also check out the help files. There is an animation by Superfly that is simply excellent. There are two of them. One is an X pattern and the other is a straight across push pattern.

BTW, I always use electrical tape thru the entire honing process. I hate flat shoulders on my razors.

Sorry Randydance but what means you with "I always use electrical tape thru the entire honing process. I hate flat shoulders on my razors"

Thx