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Dry Honing

DJKELLY

Well-Known Member
Tolrof (Torbo in future refs) has mentioned several times that he finishes on a BBW dry. My experience with dry stones has been very limited, but the other day I was at the GF's and only had a tiny Japanese stone available. It gives a great finish and I use it as a touch up hone on the road. I got a wild hair and gave an already sharp blade a touch up with that stone, dry, using circular (helicoptical) strokes. At first it was a little gritty, but soon the surface seemed to fill with steel and got very, very smooth. I was very surprised to get a super hht right off the stone, and the shave mirrored that sharpness. A bit brisk for me, but very acceptable.

Page two: Now at home, I took an Ebay special, complete with nicks, through the 600/1200 coticule process. (35 seconds flat) I also used a secret method to make a nice smile in this abused blade. To finish, I used an almost square bout vintage combo BBW because it did have the pink spots. (I think the hone is a La Petite Blanche-isn't that the one with the blue stripes in the yellow side)

I loaded the surface of the stone with metal from a pocket knife first, and again used circular stokes to refine the edge, which happened quickly. The HHT is super. With a thick hair, I can choose to filet it and make little curls, or cut it completely silently. I haven't even stropped yet.

So, Torbo, is this similar to your technique and has anyone really given dry honing a fair shot? I know I will give it a lot more attention. It is surprisingly satisfying and nice to be able to do anywhere. I think the stone loads up and has the same effect as the hard soap/wax trick.

Yours truly, Denny
 
I should have used the search engine. I find many of my light bulb moments are 20 watt. The BBW did not feel dry at all after I loaded it with pocket knife steel. Oh, well. Thanks, Cedric, D
 
I've wondered about dry strokes also.

Not all jnats give the same result, but I use dry strokes on the N-asagi to tone down an edge that's too crispy for my tastes. About 6 light strokes and it's back to the smooth side of engaging.
 
Hi Denny!

Metal swarf...hmm...
Well, as "everyone" knows, you need a lubricant to suspend metal particles while honing. Otherwise you clog your hone, become sterile, etc... It's funny that you ascribe this to the metal swarf. I have used this mainly on a La Grise, which is very glassy, but also on other stones and never noticed any metal build-up. It always gives me a fantastic little extra on the La Grise, and if I remember correctly, on a Les Latneuses, but on (what I now think is) a LPB it wasn't so smooth. But I don't think I would do so many strokes (though on the La Grise combo, I just honed away one day on both sides...).

I think it can be compared to the improvement I get from using a drop of wash up soap. So if I am at the sink it's usually that way, if not, maybe some dry strokes...I am not very consistent...

regards,
Torolf
 
DJKELLY said:
I also used a secret method to make a nice smile in this abused blade.
Hey you yankee fella out there, would you be so kind to share this secret method (you can PM me, if it's so secret:))? I have an (unconfirmed, though) impression that just tilting the blade on the heel and the point on a coticule would take a fair amount of time until any smile shows up?

cheers,
Matt
 
Can't believe I got a taker on that. I'll pm you Matt just so as not to bore the masses.
 
DJKELLY said:
Can't believe I got a taker on that. I'll pm you Matt just so as not to bore the masses.
Something tells me I'll probably regret it... :lol:
 
vgeorge said:
DJKELLY said:
Can't believe I got a taker on that. I'll pm you Matt just so as not to bore the masses.

Please PM me too, my ex-friend.
My fingers are tired from answering Matt, George, and after sleeping on it, I put your name back on the blackboard. As I told Matt, but in fewer words, all I did was use a single modified binder clip as a sleeve on the spine of the razor and use a hone that is wide enough to keep that clip on the surface. In the stroke, just rock the blade from side to side as in a normal rolling X stroke. (Or rolling any stroke) It seems like it wouldn't be smooth and would cut two angles, but it doesn't at all. Again, this is the smallest binder clip you can find, I think they were 15mm tip to tip. I ground the lever loops off so it forms a simple sleeve where the tips of the clip rest in the hollow of the blade.

If this is a blade that you don't want the sleeved Unicot, you can just form the smile with the clip, remove it and then be sure to follow the push of the water on the hone to maintain it since the spine will not guide it without the clip. It makes a beautiful smile and you can adjust it to suit your tastes with mods to the clip or more pressure in the center for less curve. Later, my new friend, Denny
 
DJKELLY said:
vgeorge said:
DJKELLY said:
Can't believe I got a taker on that. I'll pm you Matt just so as not to bore the masses.

Please PM me too, my ex-friend.
... It makes a beautiful smile and you can adjust it to suit your tastes with mods to the clip or more pressure in the center for less curve. Later, my new friend, Denny

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[sub]I hope you are not reading this on a cell phone, and hope you see my graphics.[sub][/sub] [/sub]
 
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