Thread: Functional difference between X strokes and heel-leading

Presume your bevels stay pretty straight, anyway? No matter the method, you'll probably naturally bias toward the heel at the start of the stroke and the toe at the end by no reason other than it's the only thing left on the stone.

None of it matters too much as long as the entire edge is sharp and polished and the bevel is nice and even (so that it will be easy to make the entire edge sharp and polished the next time).

Originally Posted by DaveW

Presume your bevels stay pretty straight, anyway? No matter the method, you'll probably naturally bias toward the heel at the start of the stroke and the toe at the end by no reason other than it's the only thing left on the stone.

None of it matters too much as long as the entire edge is sharp and polished and the bevel is nice and even (so that it will be easy to make the entire edge sharp and polished the next time).

My thoughts exactly.

Though I am learning a lot of things I previously would have called BS on...I think there are numerous strokes that can be employed to produce a great edge...as long as they are employed with exacting form.

Originally Posted by apvonkanel

Ultimately, I have always gravitated towards a heel leading stroke because, like Jimmy I was used to sharpening knives as taught by my dad. The only difference is I don't swing te blade like I would on a curved-edge pocket knife. So I pretty much phased out x-strokes a couple years ago, but occasionally wonder if my blades are missing out.

IMO guys who sharpened pocket knives, with clip point blades, pick up the rolling x stroke more easily. That is where we do 'swing the blade.' Nothing scientific but just from honing many razors I think we unconsciously put more pressure on the heel when beginning the stroke.

A matter of it being so close to where we are holding the razor. So it doesn't stay on the hone as long but there is more pressure applied than at the point. IME the point end is where I always have to focus some extra work. The 1961 barber manual technique (SRP library help files PDF) was the solution for my beginning to get edges that were more uniformly sharp from end to end. YMMV.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

IMO guys who sharpened pocket knives, with clip point blades, pick up the rolling x stroke more easily. That is where we do 'swing the blade.' Nothing scientific but just from honing many razors I think we unconsciously put more pressure on the heel when beginning the stroke.

A matter of it being so close to where we are holding the razor. So it doesn't stay on the hone as long but there is more pressure applied than at the point.

That's actually been the one thing that kept me from ditching the x-stroke for a while. Knowing that when I don't pay as much attention I tend to put more pressure on the heel, therefore working it more over a shorter distance and potentially negating the difference on time spent in the hone.

My solution to uneven honing pressure has been to hold the hone in my left hand rather than leave it on a table. That way I can rotate the hone as the razor passes. It's a ver small, subtle motion, but the feedback from both hands keeps the bevel straight and the edge consistent from heel to toe.