How many passes back honeing are required? (to get rid of over honeing)
+Buckler
+Buckler
Back honeing
- Thread starter Buckler
- Start date
Actually, if your taking about a wire edge you probably only need 3 or 4 passes at most to get rid of it. Some would say only 1 pass is needed.
Over honing and a wire edge aren't necessarily the same thing, right? (no sarcasm in tone)
The wire edge on a razor is tiny. I wouldn't think you'd need more than a stroke or two to get rid of it.
When sharpening knives, the "back" stroke is the more important of the two. I always wondered why razors are sharpened in one direction only.
When sharpening knives, the "back" stroke is the more important of the two. I always wondered why razors are sharpened in one direction only.
Usually when you overhone two things can happen depending on the medium you used. For most people a wire edge is the result we often see. The other can be an edge so thin that it basically crumbles when you use it and you will see that it microchips throughout the entire edge. You tend to see that alot when you overdo it with diamond pasted strops.
With Traditional Japanese Razors you sharpen going back and forth unlike western razors. I have been told with western razors if you go with a backstroke you undo the sharpening which is why you do a backstroke to get rid of a wire edge.
For the wire edge, one or two passes can fix it. What about the thin, micro chipping edge?
I never understood how back honing can remove a wire edge. If it outdid the sharpening with a backstroke how would Japanese honers ever get their razors sharp?
What I do is strop the razor a couple of times with the spine lifted a few millimeters off the leather. This is considered heresy by some but it works a treat if you do not apply pressure. It takes care of the crumbled edge as well (at least I think). I guess this is similar to Telly's method of running it across a piece of balsa like a match.
Well, once you have microchips in the edge you have to hone them out. There is no other way.
As far as back and forth honing and Japanese razors go I don't know. Maybe the edge geometry being different. All I do know is if you do back and forth honing with a western razor you will never sharpen the edge. But it does work with a Japanese blade.
As far as back and forth honing and Japanese razors go I don't know. Maybe the edge geometry being different. All I do know is if you do back and forth honing with a western razor you will never sharpen the edge. But it does work with a Japanese blade.
If I find that after honing my razor isn't where I want it to be and I went to set a new bevel again..Can I do some back strokes on a 4k for example before going back on the 1k for bevel setting?
If back honing is of no use to western style razors, why did barbers of old prefer (so it seems) the circular honing stroke method? Was this used by them for expediency or for some other reason? Could the need for back honing be due to the use of barber hones. 
PuFF
PuFF
i use a little different method.if you do have microchips i bought 3 years ago from classicshaving red past and put it on hanging strop.i do loose strop a ltiile when i strop the blade no more then 4-5 strokes microchips gone.try it you will see.easy and fast good luck
2 or 3 laps on a coarser hone, using the edge-leading "normal" stroke, are usually enough to get rid of a wire edge. Rarely, a few more might be needed. Back-honing also works.
