Honing

[Ravenonrock]

I’ve found the lads very helpful here with their collective knowledge. Tone? I have an older brother, love him!

 

[Slash McCoy]

I hope all is well, and all have a merry Christmas!
I want to address something that i see everywhere in the Straight razor community. I ain't directly pointing fingers just here on this forum, its everywhere, so if this bothers you then you're probably one of the superheroes of honing. When new guys post a video or on the forums, for help, they actually get discouraged. Meaning the super heroes of honing fly in and publicly save the day (yeah right') with their honing superpowers. No the majority of those superheros only publicly 'so-called give advice' to those people that need it, well they do that so they can make themselves look big, and make the new guy look like an idiot. Thats just not right, and bad character for a so called grown-up.

I have seen time and time again. They will openly bludgeon the fellow to death, about the individuals razor, honing equipment, honing technique etc. IMO - people with experience need to help those individuals, not tear them down. Seems like after so many thousands posts or the # count of how many razors someone hones they get in their minds they have a phd in honing . I actually see certain vendors who say for example i have honed, 5,863 razors! There's people out there that do have tons of knowledge on honing but the superheroes, they lack modesty and character. If one does have knowledge in anything they should not want to be exalted, (nor claiming to have superpowers)
should want to stay this /big , if they have any kind of character PERIOD

Best to all!

Michael S. Shults

I think maybe you are being overly sensitive, to be blunt. I believe you are misreading motive in many cases. Open forums are where people can make statements, comments, questions, and be read, replied, critiqued by the many. PM is where you can make a statement, comment, or question, and be read, replied, critiqued by one.

Usually, when a mob shouts down one particular person, you might want to examine what that one person wrote, with a more critical eye. Sometimes that person is right, or makes a very good point, or presents a novel and potentially useful idea. More often, that is not the case, and being an open forum, some members will weigh in with counter opinions or established or maybe not so established facts. Many times these critical or counter replies are wrapped up in brusque or insensitive or downright impolite language. That does not detract from the idea presented in that post. Yes, there is pride, ego, and reputation at stake. To some, it is a big deal. To some others, not such. Plenty of guys just want to help, and want to present the truth as they see it, and argue against what they see as untruth. Misleading or just plain wrong information should get flagged, tagged, and bagged, marked so someone just beginning in our thing, doesn't waste even more time and money chasing an unproductive path or a dragon that just isn't there.

Would it be better, if those with experience and publicly acclaimed expertise, just hold their peace, and keep their negative opinions to themselves? I don't see constructive criticism or correction to be bludgeoning, or tearing them down. If someone is arguably wrong and apparently creating for himself a path that leads nowhere, should others who believe they know better simply be encouraging and supportive in this beginner with his most likely wrong declaration or presentation?

Debate, or arguing, is essential to the development of a body of knowledge. That's peer review. That is discussion. If I say how I mixed plaster of paris and beach sand into a DIY hone, and everyone exclaims how that sounds like a very creative and useful idea, and encourages me to make more of these beach sand and plaster hones, even when they know or suspect that it is really a pretty screwy idea, what favor are they doing me or noobs reading about my homemade hone? Shouldn't someone point out that it doesn't sound like a very good idea? Or pick it apart bit by bit, with how coarse and variable beach sand is, and how fragile a substrate plaster of paris is, or how inconsistent the particle distribution would be from mixing my ingredients with a stick? Sure I could be right but nah I don't believe I would be right at all. Agreeing with me would cause a lot of others to waste their time patting plaster and sand into hone shaped objects, and setting the body of honing knowledge back considerably. Yeah okay that might be a bit of a far out hypothetical example, but lively discourse is something that should be survivable for any idea with real merit.

I have corrected my share of what I regarded as false information. I don't think it has ever been harmful. I have often countered with information that I believed to be more relevant or closer to the truth. I don't think that has ever been harmful. I may have hurt some feelings but with VERY few exceptions, that has never been among my objectives. Should I stop doing that? Should everyone else stop doing that? Should we all just be warm, accepting, and supportive, and hand out participation trophies to one and all? This isn't a support group or drum circle or AA meeting. This is a discussion forum. Let's do keep discussing.

 

[Mr Kooby Shemayrew]

I thought this forum was for owners (honers?) of pet badgers.

 

[Southbound1]

I think maybe you are being overly sensitive, to be blunt. I believe you are misreading motive in many cases. Open forums are where people can make statements, comments, questions, and be read, replied, critiqued by the many. PM is where you can make a statement, comment, or question, and be read, replied, critiqued by one.

Usually, when a mob shouts down one particular person, you might want to examine what that one person wrote, with a more critical eye. Sometimes that person is right, or makes a very good point, or presents a novel and potentially useful idea. More often, that is not the case, and being an open forum, some members will weigh in with counter opinions or established or maybe not so established facts. Many times these critical or counter replies are wrapped up in brusque or insensitive or downright impolite language. That does not detract from the idea presented in that post. Yes, there is pride, ego, and reputation at stake. To some, it is a big deal. To some others, not such. Plenty of guys just want to help, and want to present the truth as they see it, and argue against what they see as untruth. Misleading or just plain wrong information should get flagged, tagged, and bagged, marked so someone just beginning in our thing, doesn't waste even more time and money chasing an unproductive path or a dragon that just isn't there.

Would it be better, if those with experience and publicly acclaimed expertise, just hold their peace, and keep their negative opinions to themselves? I don't see constructive criticism or correction to be bludgeoning, or tearing them down. If someone is arguably wrong and apparently creating for himself a path that leads nowhere, should others who believe they know better simply be encouraging and supportive in this beginner with his most likely wrong declaration or presentation?

Debate, or arguing, is essential to the development of a body of knowledge. That's peer review. That is discussion. If I say how I mixed plaster of paris and beach sand into a DIY hone, and everyone exclaims how that sounds like a very creative and useful idea, and encourages me to make more of these beach sand and plaster hones, even when they know or suspect that it is really a pretty screwy idea, what favor are they doing me or noobs reading about my homemade hone? Shouldn't someone point out that it doesn't sound like a very good idea? Or pick it apart bit by bit, with how coarse and variable beach sand is, and how fragile a substrate plaster of paris is, or how inconsistent the particle distribution would be from mixing my ingredients with a stick? Sure I could be right but nah I don't believe I would be right at all. Agreeing with me would cause a lot of others to waste their time patting plaster and sand into hone shaped objects, and setting the body of honing knowledge back considerably. Yeah okay that might be a bit of a far out hypothetical example, but lively discourse is something that should be survivable for any idea with real merit.

I have corrected my share of what I regarded as false information. I don't think it has ever been harmful. I have often countered with information that I believed to be more relevant or closer to the truth. I don't think that has ever been harmful. I may have hurt some feelings but with VERY few exceptions, that has never been among my objectives. Should I stop doing that? Should everyone else stop doing that? Should we all just be warm, accepting, and supportive, and hand out participation trophies to one and all? This isn't a support group or drum circle or AA meeting. This is a discussion forum. Let's do keep discussing.

No i am not being oversensitive, i am being blunt. I tend to say exactly what i think, the last thing i is a liar, as me and i will tell you the truth. I have seen guys literally get made fun of for their razor, their honing style, gear/whatever. For some reason people tend to thinking i pointing fingers here only, thats not the case, i said in general ' the straight razor community ' its always something. 'Some' of the most arrogant people that know how hone, don't have a superiority complex, they have a God complex, eg they think they can walk on water, and they think they should be exalted when they enter into the chat.

They're some good information here, with sold foundation. I reach out here from time to time to certain individuals, BTW they have skills but don't toot their horn. if i did not like it here i sure would not be here, i dont post much, nor have i been offended, but i have eyes and ears, and a little common sense. Point is my way, your way, the next persons way, isn't the 'only way'. Do what works for each of us, and if someone comes along needing help, help them don't tear them down or their ability or equipment etc. We don't need to hold their hands and walk them through
it, the best teachers are experience and time. No one learns someone else to hone, 'a honer' and a straight razor shaver aint born they're self made by experience and time!

 

[alex1921]

I don't think online as*****s are specific to SR and honing. I bet every hobby has their own.
We are here, on BB. Do you see this behavior? Can you point out a thread when someone is being made fun of for their gear or way of honing? If not then maybe it's better to address that where it's happening.

If anyone has a god complex because they can hone a razor, well that's actually pretty funny.

I admire people who take the time and keep answering the same questions over and over, trying to pinpoint where the problem is and help. Are they doing it for pure altruistic reason? Are they doing it to gain a certain status in the community? Don't know and don't care. I am glad they are helping the new guys and a lot of times I learn from them as well.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I bet every hobby has their own.

Can confirm.

I don't see guys getting jumped on around here. Mostly the opposite problem, they get inundated with a torrent of well-meaning advice that may or may not be useful to them at their particular level of experience

 

[Southbound1]

I don't think online as*****s are specific to SR and honing. I bet every hobby has their own.
We are here, on BB. Do you see this behavior? Can you point out a thread when someone is being made fun of for their gear or way of honing? If not then maybe it's better to address that where it's happening.

If anyone has a god complex because they can hone a razor, well that's actually pretty funny.

I admire people who take the time and keep answering the same questions over and over, trying to pinpoint where the problem is and help. Are they doing it for pure altruistic reason? Are they doing it to gain a certain status in the community? Don't know and don't care. I am glad they are helping the new guys and a lot of times I learn from them as well.

Its happened everywhere a peice of steel and a rock is involved at some point in time! Is this place a part of the straight razor community, yes. I know opinions are like as*****s everyone has one!

 

[David]

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