This method is not often discussed around here. For good reasons, I think. The process of repeatedly going back to a lower grit and putting back the scratch pattern of a coarser stone after having removed them on the higher grid seems somewhat esoteric to me. But on the other hand, this method is advocated by persons with far more experience and knowledge than me. What do you think?
Pyramid honing
- Thread starter Thomas Martin
- Start date
I think what you were thinking before is better thinking than what you are thinking now. 
Pyramids never made sense to me either. In any event that was only advocated back when the Norton 4k/8k was the only game in town IIRC.
Pyramids never made sense to me either. In any event that was only advocated back when the Norton 4k/8k was the only game in town IIRC.
Pyramid honing is a way of making a relatively simple concept seem overly complicated, to mystify newbies, and keep them paying other people to hone their razors.
Sufferin succotash!! Those wiley honers!
i agree with you, David. I like honing and wish I owned one of everything, just for fun, but the overall process of honing should be something that any straight owner can do with a minimum of equipment and effort.
I'v tried it when I had my Norton 4/8, and I didn't see any benefit to pyramid honing versus just going from the 4 to the 8. Like legion said, it more just confused me than anything else...
I was told why it was helpful by a very helpful and nice SRP member who is also a member here, but mostly there..
I think the reason was that in a Norton progression 1-4-8 that the peaks and valleys weren't affected as much by the 4k as the 1k and you could make , for sure, certain that those scratch patterns were absolutely flattened by the lower grits as you went back a bit each time after you polished with the 4 and 8k... at least that's what I think I remember him explaining to me...
I think the reason was that in a Norton progression 1-4-8 that the peaks and valleys weren't affected as much by the 4k as the 1k and you could make , for sure, certain that those scratch patterns were absolutely flattened by the lower grits as you went back a bit each time after you polished with the 4 and 8k... at least that's what I think I remember him explaining to me...
The purpose of the pyamid was a way to help new honers on how to hone on the norton without over honing the razor. The problem I had found is that this sometimes causes the new guy to be "too careful" and under hone on the 4K instead of over hone on the stone.
My opinion.
The Pyramid scheme assumes the user is incompetent or that the stone is inferior.
It's designed to overcome those liabilities without teaching the user anything.
It could be used as a good tool - but instead, it seems to always be presented as the de-facto way to hone.
I'm not beyond going back a step if I feel I need to, but I don't just toggle back/forth because some self-proclaimed authority on honing says that's how to do it.
I did toggle a bit on 1k & 3k yesterday. Needed to see something on the bevel and polishing out the 1k scratches helped me find it.
I see that as a tool - not a rule or a way of life.
The Pyramid scheme assumes the user is incompetent or that the stone is inferior.
It's designed to overcome those liabilities without teaching the user anything.
It could be used as a good tool - but instead, it seems to always be presented as the de-facto way to hone.
I'm not beyond going back a step if I feel I need to, but I don't just toggle back/forth because some self-proclaimed authority on honing says that's how to do it.
I did toggle a bit on 1k & 3k yesterday. Needed to see something on the bevel and polishing out the 1k scratches helped me find it.
I see that as a tool - not a rule or a way of life.
No harm in trying anything - not ever. Learning is critical, and experimentation is critical to learning.
All I'm saying is that it's not an absolute thing to have to do.
"There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same."
All I'm saying is that it's not an absolute thing to have to do.
"There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same."
And not very well lately from what I am seeing.
Some are honing on reputation and not on stones
We agree
Pyramids make absolutely no sense to me. Why the heck do you need to go back to the 4K stone from the 8K stone.
Sham posted a video explaining how the amount of swarf on the 8K tell you if you did "the work" on the 4K stone.
Here it is
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isn't it where you get other people to hone under you, then they sign up people to hone and they sign up people to hone?
This. Pyramids are rubbish.
The theory behind pyramids is that to avoid over-honing, you go back a step for a few laps. At least a thousand razors in and I have yet to over-hone a razor. Under-honing is a far more common problem.
- Thread starter
- #18
I was not able to understand a lot. What I got is that if on the 8k level your stone gets dark you have to go back to the 4k. Is that it? If yes, what is the theoretical background of this observation? The dark stuff is metal removed from the edge right? Why would the amount of metal removed on the 8k indicate that the job in the 4k was not done yet?
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Because then your are trying to do the brunt if the sharpening at the polishing level. Also the 8000 side can damage the edge if youre not ready to be there, shaves come out harsh.
Exactly.
