Honing on the BBW

**Bart** · 08-20-2009, 12:23 AM

This forum sometimes has the tendency to make a guy doubt himself, which is good of course. Too much certainty is a dangerous thing.
Anyway, I decided to revisit a hone that has not been part of my regular honing routine for quite some time: the Belgian Blue Whestone.(BBW) Not because it is not a good hone. It just became redundant in my routine at some point, and ended up in my woodshop where it happily finishes chisels and plane blades.
A recent thread, where a new fellow asked if he *could* get by with just a BBW, harvested quite a few different opinions. I said yes, out of earlier experience, but the voices that said no where respectable, and in the end I couldn't be so sure anymore. After all, it was a long time since I honed on the BBW.
So today I installed my photocamera, that's also capable of shooting video, and had a little party together with my BBW.
The razor is a vintage Solingen, by the brand Ophir. It sat in my "razors-to-rehone-box", but just to be beyond suspicion, I first dragged it, edge down, over the BBW. It did not shave anything at that point. I had footage of that too, but due to a mistake I made with deleting old pictures to make space for more video footage, I lost the first takes of my adventure.
It took me about 10 minutes on heavy, mud-like slurry, applying some pressure, to get a bevel going again on that razor, aiming to shave some arm hairs. I stayed on the thick slurry for a number of lower pressured X-strokes once it started getting in line. When the TPT maxed out after that, I went straight to thin slurry. First doing slightly pressured half strokes again. And then a few minutes of very gentle X-strokes. The razor had a bit of a smile and a slight warp, so I added a slight amount of "roll" to all my strokes. You will also be able to see that I place my finger strategically on the blade, if I notice that a certain spot stays behind during bevel correction stages.

At that point, I'm pretty sure I could have performed a decent shave. But since the original quest started as an attempt to help out new guys on a budget that have only access to a BBW, I decided to share you all a neat little secret. For that, you'll have to watch the video.

Those who've been around, will recognize the green stuff as HandAmerican's Chromium Oxide, in powder version. I did about 100 laps.
I test shaved that razor, as you're about to see. That edge leaves nothing to be desired. Nothing.

YouTube - Belgian Blue Whetstone honing

**northpaw** · 08-20-2009, 12:34 AM

Straightforward, nicely edited, and an altogether excellent proof of concept - thanks for posting that!

**McWolf1969** · 08-20-2009, 12:44 AM

Whew! I just got home from work, watched that video and it made my evening.

Guess i know what the classification of "Mentor," means now.

Thanks,

mac

**JimmyHAD** · 08-20-2009, 12:55 AM

Thanks for the effort Bart and for sacrificing the hair on the arm for the sake of the video.

I hate walking around with bald spots on my arms or legs.

I am also glad to see your face. I don't like videos with disembodied hands honing a razor when the face is never seen.

You're undoubtedly the fastest honer I've ever seen. Faster than I would feel comfortable honing but obviously it works for you.

**Bart** · 08-20-2009, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

You're undoubtedly the fastest honer I've ever seen. Faster than I would feel comfortable honing but obviously it works for you.

It's like stropping in reverse, Jimmy.

Precise contact is way more important than speed. I never occupied myself with speeding my strokes up. It just came automatically over time. It feels natural to me.

Thank you for the kind words.
I hear you about the face. I feel the same way. But in my first video, shyness won.

Bart.

**Slartibartfast** · 08-20-2009, 01:09 AM

CrO on the bbw... How did you come up with that little trick?

What is the difference using CrO as a "slurry" on the bbw and using it on a strop?

Btw, why do all the honemeisters have mustaches or beards?

**JimmyHAD** · 08-20-2009, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Btw, why do all the honemeisters have mustaches or beards?

Good question.

I've wondered that about beards myself. The goatee area being where the rubber really meets the road so to speak.

**Bart** · 08-20-2009, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

CrO on the bbw... How did you come up with that little trick?

Experimentation, my friend.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

What is the difference using CrO as a "slurry" on the bbw and using it on a strop?

Edge trailing versus edge leading. That and a flat surface.
Big difference both times.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Btw, why do all the honemeisters have mustaches or beards?

Only the ones that can't get their razors sharp enough to shave mustache whiskers.

**Lynn** · 08-20-2009, 04:11 AM

Very nice Bart!

Lynn

**BeBerlin** · 08-20-2009, 08:33 AM

Thanks a lot, Bart. If I hadn't shaved with razors honed by you, I would be highly sceptical. After all, you are violating basically every honing rule I've ever come across here in that video. But since I know your edges (to wit, they are sharp, but deliver a very comfortable shave, and stay that way for longer than any I've ever been able to produce), all I can say is: that is a big BBW you got there...

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