Thread: Barber's Hones - Avoiding a Frown

Originally Posted by honedright

This is all directly fron the text. It doesn't say to use or not use the X patern in this particular section. But the section does start out by talking about a student mastering the honing strokes and motions meaning the X pattern.

I don't think they would expect a student to all of a sudden abandon those honing motions here.

So I think this "advanced" technique would include the X pattern. Like Alan says, I think it is a shorter stroke (and the text says this as well) but I think it is still the X pattern in form.

Scott

But it does sount to me like it's written with the expectation of one since it calls for a honing srtoke to be done the same as you would to hone the whole edge and simply add pressure to the heel.

Especially with the curved blades like my swayback W&B,



I think you have to learn not only the X motion, but the Rock & Roll as well. That's where you subtlely roll te edge from heel to tip throught each honing stroke. That will keep your edge the right shape over the long run.

X

Just to clarify my post that you don't use the x pattern, I was referring to the full pattern and not the proportional stroke. If you follow a true x pattern you'll hone all the blade (evenly in theory, which is why its so useful) and this technique would use the x stroke but only half of the subsequent pattern.

When I do this, which is very, very rare. I just do a half stroke on one side 5 times and then 5 on the other.

For the x pattern it'd be the top half of the x for the tip or v pattern and the bottom portion would be done with a ^ or lower half of the x. The whole point isn't to use the full x pattern. Or stated another way, don't hone the whole edge.

But I don't think its a big deal, your only correcting the bevel's linear symmetry.

Thanks guys - this has been very helpful.

I like the barber hones because I can use them dry (I know they will probably work better with some water or lather, but they do work well dry - but you have to watch for clogging).

The information from the barber's manual was what I thought instinctively - just modify the x-stroke to concentrate on either the heel or tip to keep things even or create a slight smile.

Sometimes I'll use a couple of circular passes to take a little more off of the heel or tip - as needed.

Good work! Whenever I use a barber hone dry I wipe it down with a wet cloth afterward as recommend on the directions that came with it.