Honing? Stone in hand or on a bench?

[RobbyC]

I always honed in hand with both razors and knives before I bought Synthetic stones. The synths I found were much easier to use on the worktop than holding them.

Now I find I only hold stones in my hand when I’m using natural stones on razors. I think for a few reasons.
My synthetic stones are all the same size, so I can be very consistent with them on a bench. And as I tend to prefinish razors in “batches” taking 3-4 razors through 1k/3k/5k/8k synths ends up being much faster and consistent on the table
When it comes to finishing I’m using natural stones of different width / length / speed / pressure requirements.
I find I have much better control of this when the stone is in my hand, particularly when using narrow stones.

I also tend to finish razors while sat in a chair with a glass of whisky and a tray with stones / spray bottle on my knee

This works for me and I get edges which I thoroughly enjoy shaving with. What works for you is the best method

 

[SliceOfLife]

I agree with Gamma. Anyone who hones in hand is a Communist Sympathizer and probably a deviant.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Has anyone taken the survey?

 

[Alum of Potash]

Looks like they have. 61.9% on the bench versus 52.4% in the hand. Hmm, that doesn't seem to add up to 100%.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Looks like the poll is calculating % as if there were 21 votes, not 25. I presume the poll let you pick multiple and some people did? From the looks of it, one person voted for all 3, and two others voted for both bench and in hand.

 

[Dave Sl8r]

My apologies, I was running late and rushed the poll answers. I should have put in both bench and hand for the third poll answer.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I nearly always hone in hand, and I always recommend that beginners start out by honing in hand. Experienced honers should hone the way they usually hone, whether that is in hand or on a bench or sink bridge or whatever. It's not THAT big a deal, but honing in hand definitely helps to mitigate many common newbie honing mistakes.

 

[Aldwyn]

OK, having worked with JNats for the past 2 months, I am switching my vote to "in hand".

With my synths, I always benched... and still do for bevel setting with the Chosera 1K. But I am finding that with the smaller JNats, I do get a crap load more feedback and balance when I hand hone. I am starting to really dig hand honing now, for sure. I can make sure my blade is flat on the stone the whole time, and now can make very quick adjustments as needed. I can also make adjustments on the bench, but it's much faster in hand. Not to mention it seems I know when to make those adjustments much faster!

So yeah... I changed my vote from bench to hand.

 

[Dagabose]

I hone on a bench and In hand. No real preference here. I just swap it up to keep things different.

 

[seattleshaver]

With my larger 1K I do it on the table. With everything else I do it in the hand (all my other hones are smaller).

 

[Seveneighth]

I agree with Gamma. Anyone who hones in hand is a Communist Sympathizer and probably a deviant.

I proudly hone in hand.

 

[rbscebu]

I agree with Gamma. Anyone who hones in hand is a Communist Sympathizer and probably a deviant.

As a proud supporter of the Socialist International, I am now changing to 100% honing in hand.

 

[DrStrange]

I run in the opposite direction. I hone razors in the hand and kitchen knives on the bench. The reason for this, as far as I can tell, is that with straight razors there is a static spine-edge relationship, or built-in honing guide, whereas in honing freehand with kitchen knives there is not. So the razors can benefit from a little variance as introduced from underneath, via the outstretched palm, whereas the knives can benefit from a static honing surface, to which variance can be introduced from above, via the angle as introduced.

I hone razors on a sink bridge and knives by hand.

Kitchen knives, I grind very quickly on diamonds at a very small angle.
Then I take the burr off by putting on a secondary bevel with a mini crock stick.

 

[GreazyThumbs]

I use bench for the larger stones and hand for smaller stones. I may start with my Coti on the bench and finish in hand.

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