Thread: Fluke maybe?

I had the same fluke, (after i read all the info available and watched a few videos and followed the pyramid honing guide) and continue to have them each time I've honed since.

No, it's not a hard skill to learn, but you need to understand and adhere to the principles. I think a lot of guys here might be pretty 'handy' sorts of fellows - woodworkers, metalworkers; guys with tools rather than junk in their sheds.

I have junk in my shed, no tools, can do no 'handy' work like woodwork, metalwork, etc.

I found it fulfilling and surprising that I could learn to hone, it seemed to me like it would be the domain of 'handy' guys.

I do want to say that I would very very much like to suggest the idea of a honing journal. I also feel one should count laps and have a plan. Without a plan and without counting one can get lost...

Good job!
Sooner or later you will mess something up, it's all part of learning but now you know you can do it.

Lots of "handy" guys got angle grinders in their sheds and are not afraid to use them I'm afraid!
After seeing some people at work with honing, gold smithing and other delicate jobs I'm not so sure everyone can learn.
I once tried to show a guy how to use his new jnat on his kitchen knives, he started of fine but after 2 min he got impatient and his angles were all over the place.
Some even start off with the attitude "can not" and won't listen to any advice, strange people!

Dependent on the individual. Every time I think I have it down pat, my expectations for "shave ready" go up, and I no longer have it down pat. But when I started, I think I was pretty smug about it. I started giving honing advice after about 3 weeks of learning how to hone. Because of course, I was an "expert" already, or at the very least, a "senior member". HA! After about 3 months, I started sending blades out to people in order to get their opinion. My first honing grade was an F. The person told me not only did I NOT know what I was doing, but that I should STOP doing anything until he could teach me something. Suspecting a fluke, I sent him 6 more to grade. Which only solidified his stance on the matter. lol. Another 12 months later, I was feeling ok about where I was at, and sent some more blades to some more people. My grades that time were better, but still not the glowing "Universally Approved" ratings I was hoping for. And here we are today. Haven't been graded since December. Once again, fairly smug perhaps. I think I'm doing good. But I've only gotten about 6 people to agree with that assessment. So, I'm open to the idea that I have significant efforts ahead of me. So is it really hard to learn how to hone your own razors? Ehh..maybe not. Is it really hard to learn how to hone so that OTHER PEOPLE will like your edges? I think it is. But in my short time here, I've seen guys go from absolute newbies, to honing experts running small businesses on the side, in a matter of months. I'll hang my own shingle someday...But not until I get my "Universally Approved" rating. If that comes in two years or ten..it's no matter. I have the time.

Well right now Im not worried about what other people think of my honing, that will come later on down the road. I know that Im picky when it comes to a blade being sharp enough or properly finished for my liking. Im honestly not trying to learn to hone for the sake of making a business out of it, but rather for just being able to sharpen new razors that I get. If later on down the road I can make a few bucks at doing it, then so be it, but for right now thats not my goal.

As far as being "handy" or having mechanical abilities, I like to think I do. Most mechanical work or building stuff comes pretty natural for me, so maybe that helps when it comes to honing razors as well. Who knows.

But I'll be honest, some of the YouTube videos out there about honing has some pretty ridiculous information. Some of these people offering "advice" seem to not know what they are talking about. Im just glad that the people on this forum seem to know their stuff.