Thread: Why X-pattern with a 3" wide Norton?

I have a 3" wide Norton 4/8 stone and I've begun to notice something strange with honing. If I look closely, the nose of my razors is slightly smaller than the heel and I think this is due to the X-pattern.

First off, the razor I notice this on the most is a store bought Dovo with a perfectly level edge. I start with the entire blade resting on the stone. The heel is on the edge of the stone perpendicular to the blade and once I start “X-ing” the heel immediately stops making contact with the stone, but the nose glides all the way across and down.

From my perspective, the nose is in contact with the stone much longer than the heel, and I presume this is why the nose is slightly smaller than the heel. Anyone else have this problem, or am I putting too much pressure on the nose?

My real question is, if the blade fits entirely on the 3" wide Norton, why do the X-pattern at all, why not just push the blade straight down the hone?

As long as the hone is lapped flat and you keep the pressure even, it should not be an issue. X just makes it easier to maintain control of your razor's movement but it's not an absolute necessity.

Most guys tend to put too much pressure on at the heel, since that's where you've got the most leverage. The X pattern helps compensate for this.

But you can just angle the blade on the stone and push it straight down two-handed, that works too.

Also, if the edge of your razor isn't 100 percent straight, it's hard to say whether the entire edge makes contact during a straight-across stroke. With an X pattern, you know that every part of the edge is making contact for at least some of the stroke.

Josh

Originally Posted by mparker762

Most guys tend to put too much pressure on at the heel, since that's where you've got the most leverage. The X pattern helps compensate for this.

But you can just angle the blade on the stone and push it straight down two-handed, that works too.

Surely one has more leverage at the tip (greater moment).

The weight of your thumb is pressing down on the tang. More force = faster cutting. The force dissapates toward the tip, but keeping it on the hone longer evens out the cutting.

The key is to try to keep pressure even, whatever method you use. It's a hard thing to do. The X-pattern has some built-in compensators that seem to make honing easier for many guys.

Josh

Originally Posted by ernestrome

Surely one has more leverage at the tip (greater moment).

Yes, but it works the other way around in this case. The razor is rotating around your wrist, not the tip.

Plus the blade tends to be flexible which further reduces the leverage at the tip.

Originally Posted by mparker762

Yes, but it works the other way around in this case. The razor is rotating around your wrist, not the tip.

Plus the blade tends to be flexible which further reduces the leverage at the tip.

Mine tend to pass a HHT toward the heel before the rest of the blade, I've wondered why that happens since it doesn't get as much time on the hone as the toe.

Originally Posted by DMS

Mine tend to pass a HHT toward the heel before the rest of the blade, I've wondered why that happens since it doesn't get as much time on the hone as the toe.

This happens to me as well. I wondered why. I try to avoid too much pressure on the heel while honing. Another thing I obsereve while shaving is that I use the toe much more esp. in the moustache area. I hardly use the heel, it's too close to the fingers that hold the tang. So I think the heel is sharper than the toe when I start honing.

Kees,
Do you hone using magnification before and after? One thing I have noticed is that the nose and the heel of almost every razor I've ever examined are not honed as well as the middle of the blade. You may just be noticing something that's always been there! Even if the nose and heel were wearing differentially it may not be the stone or the X-pattern. It may be due to the hardness of the steel being different out at the ends. Why? Different thicknesses of steel cool differently and end up being softer or harder. Not much but just enough. This phenomenon has been the subject of much discussion among the bladesmith community. Just a possibility to think about in case there weren't enough variables in the equation....