Thread: 'Pull' honing vs. 'Push' honing

I'm new to razor restoration but not unskilled. I have a practical philosophy of whatever works is good.
So, I just finished my first re-scale in bamboo on this late 1800's, 4/8, Joseph Allen that I picked up for $5 with a broken scale.
I found the blade to be warped, so I learned to hone it using 'rolling' hone technique. Worked great for the smiling wedge, except for about 3/32" of the tip radius.
I started dragging the tip backwards on the 8000 Norton, and found every 'pulling' stroke would leave a nice black swarf line.
I could see exactly where on the radius material was being removed, and with rolling pulling strokes, got the tip very close to shave ready.
I am wondering if this is common practice? And what is the preferred term for 'pull' honing so that I might look up some threads with the search function?

Usually the argument against pulling (cutting edge trailing) is it is possible to cause a wire edge. Instead of the metal being completely removed from the edge, it can roll away from the stone leaving the edge folded over.

either direction is fine..just make the laps an even number...push on the hone..pull towards you..as long as the edge makes contact with your hone..your fine..IMO

1k=needs some pressure...any hones after that on a higher grit need "light" pressure

At the lower grits, and in restoration, you are not really honing you are "Setting the bevel" getting the bevel even and sharp is you only concern..

Forward, backward, both, circles, slants, 45's, heck upside down hanging from the rafters we call this "Honing Gymnastics"

As to using a Backstroke aka "Stropping Stroke" after is generally not an accepted practice because of the Voerhaven Papers, and every Hone, and Barber's manual instuctions ...

In some cases it can be used as a finish stroke on extremely high grit hones the 30K Shapton comes to mind but as I said the past suggests it is not a good practice as it creates a rougher edge then push honing...