1. home
  2. preface
  3. razor parts
  4. blade points
  5. razor identification
  6. the edge
  7. grinds
  8. grinds, why
  9. sharpening introduction
  10. stones
  11. strops
  12. using stones, introduction
  13. blade - stone geometry
  14. first stroke on stone
  15. last stroke on stone
  16. using the strop, introduction
  17. first stroke on strop
  18. last stroke on strop
  19. preparation for shave
  20. numbered shaving paths
  21. face, right side
  22. face, left side
  23. chin
  24. coup de maitre
  25. throat
  26. second over
  27. preface to archives
  28. La pogonotomia I
  29. La pogonotomia II
  30. La pogonotomia III
  31. La pogonotomia IV
  32. the razor I
  33. the razor II
  34. the razor III
  35. the razor IV
  36. the razor V
  37. the razor VI
  38. references
  39. summary
  40. guestbook

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The Razor V

Honing

Grinding creates the rough form and the edge geometry. Honing provides sharpness. A too thin edge will bend, not cut. Honing also gives some strength to the edge. Rule: hard on soft and soft on hard.

There are many lubricants for hones, like oil, soapwater, petroleum, but it is enough when you understand how to hone on a water stone. As a razor is hard, a soft hone is best, but not with a coarse grain. It should have a natural dense surface with fine pores. Thus, it should be a combination of good cutting properties with the finest grit number. The size of a hone should be 300 x 55 mm at least; the surface being completely flat and smooth and saturated with water.

To hone, the tang is kept between index finger and thumb. The turning movement is done by rolling the tang between the fingers, without rotating the hand Excercise with a pencil. Edge leading, back trailing, both flat on the hone. Strike back and forth about seven times. Use very light pressure, slightly exceeding the weight of the blade. After that, the polishing of the edge starts, preferrably with a yellowish waterstone. This total procedure costs about eight minutes. Testing is done by detecting irregularities with the nail probe.