Thread: Honing skill; newb, beginner, intermediate, expert, meister. Which are you?

A good ranging of the different honing categories and well described.

I do not belong to any of these. I leave the honing to the honemeisters and stick to the stropping and the touchups.

I think I'm going to be an eternal experimentalist on jnats and coticules, they do a great job and its all I need.

I know how to use synthetics, but prefer to manipulate slurry to get my edges. but to place myself anywheres it would be intermediate probably.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hmmmmm maybe fixing something like this http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...worst.html#top

Fixing that razor would surely require a man of great skill.

But where can one find such a man?

By this rubric I guess I am a beginner/intermediate. I learn something new with every honing session.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hmmmmm maybe fixing something like this http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...worst.html#top

Yes, that is surely a challenge and a good example. Even knowing whether (realistically) that can be fixed, let alone being able to fix it, says a lot about a person's skillset and experience level in my opinion.

I do realise that pushes things into the realms of "restoration" somewhat, but restoration can be as much (if not more) about utility as it is about aesthetics, as Glen's example demonstrates (and besides that, I love it because there's trigonometry in it ). From that point of view, there's a certain subset of restorative skills that are necessarily part of a honemeister's toolkit, just as there are honemeister skills necessary to be a good restorer.

All these things intertwine and it is really not a simple matter to categorise anything, so my hat's off to the OP for making such a good fist of it.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Yes, that is surely a challenge and a good example. Even knowing whether (realistically) that can be fixed, let alone being able to fix it, says a lot about a person's skillset and experience level in my opinion.

I do realise that pushes things into the realms of "restoration" somewhat, but restoration can be as much (if not more) about utility as it is about aesthetics, as Glen's example demonstrates (and besides that, I love it because there's trigonometry in it ). From that point of view, there's a certain subset of restorative skills that are necessarily part of a honemeister's toolkit, just as there are honemeister skills necessary to be a good restorer.

All these things intertwine and it is really not a simple matter to categorise anything, so my hat's off to the OP for making such a good fist of it.

James.

I agree with what you say, but would go a step further and add knowing where to draw the lines between what is a touch up, a full honing, and edge restoration.

I say "edge" restoration in efforts to simplify a bit. Surely full restoration of the razor (pins, slabs, faces and tang) is another level of complexity. But just under the moniker of "edge" you may deal with frown correction, chips, warps, and a myriad of types of corrosion.

Every flea market razor I pick up seems to teach me more and more about these concepts. Knowing what NOT to buy is a skill in itself! (I have intentionally bought some steamers just for the sake of pushing my learning and skill building).

Guess I kinda fall into inter. range. I can hone frowns, chips, and correct bevels. Maybe not on the first try, but I can figure it out as I go. I don't use numbers except to keep an idea of how much time I've been on a particular stone; I am honing more by feel than counting now, and am starting to understand what that "feel" pertains to the behavior of an edge. I have honed my own razors, corrected a few bevels, and honed two for a buddy which I was given 2 thumbs up, and told they were butter knife smooth, but I still wouldn't even consider doing it for money; maybe to help someone out who is new for free, but wouldn't dare consider myself as proficient, more efficient at it I guess. Learning one edge at a time.

I am an intermediate but I suffer from delusions of grandeur.

Originally Posted by unit

I agree with what you say, but would go a step further and add knowing where to draw the lines between what is a touch up, a full honing, and edge restoration.

I say "edge" restoration in efforts to simplify a bit. Surely full restoration of the razor (pins, slabs, faces and tang) is another level of complexity. But just under the moniker of "edge" you may deal with frown correction, chips, warps, and a myriad of types of corrosion.

Every flea market razor I pick up seems to teach me more and more about these concepts. Knowing what NOT to buy is a skill in itself! (I have intentionally bought some steamers just for the sake of pushing my learning and skill building).

I absolutely agree - edge assessment as you describe, and even further: knowing when a razor will not take or hold an edge. For example, if Glen told you that your razor will not take or hold an edge, you'd feel fairly confident he was right (albeit disappointed), whereas you may want a second opinion on that kind of diagnosis if given by someone with less experience and skill.

And for the record, I am with you all the way on the what not to buy issue. Nowadays I don't buy bad geometry at all. I figure life's too short when all I'm doing is buying for myself.

James.

At what stage does one learn the delicate art of breadknifing?