A few years ago (might be more - time flies) those half strokes were virtually unheard of - I remember when the video of Mastro Livi first appeared it caused a bit of uproar as no-one had seen half strokes (I hate that bloody term!) like that. a lot of people - me included - were already using the curiously named 'half-stroke' for the first few preliminary strokes on each hone, but gently and only a few of them. Things seem to go by fads, though - ever noticed that? All you ever needed once was a Norton 4k/8k according to the gurus of the time. I got so sick of the mere mention of them I never bothered to buy one. Then it was eschers, then japanese naturals, then charnley forests, and so on. The same thing with honing - first it was pyramids (never seen the need for them), then circles, then half stokes - waht next - indoor free-style blindfold honing?
Anyway, back to the point.
What I noticed straight away when I watched the video of Pig Cat - er, no - Andrea, honing was not the half strokes (I was already aware of his Livi connection so it came as no surprise) but the horrendous noise. It may have been over emphasised by the video (crappy sound at the best of times) but it sounded like the spine and bevel were really being slapped down on the hone, or that the stabiliser at the heel was getting a thorough battering.
We are told often enough not to slap the razor up and down on the strop - doing it on a hard surface must surely cause more damage. The old fashioned barbers (most likely the poorer examples among them) used to do it like that to attract attention and as a form of machismo, strutting if you like, I don't know. I just can't see the need for it.
I strayed from the point again - back to business:
If it was the blade, and if the blade was a stiff grind, then I can't see a problem. No flex. However if you treated a full hollow like that the bevel would deform each time it hit the hone, leading to the tip curving and the bevel getting elevated, which leads to the interface of the top of the bevel and the blade getting scratched. Not nice. Not necessary. Not good practice. If it was the stabiliser hitting the hone, then not only would the stabiliser get marked up the side (unavoidable sometimes when the bevel is well into the stabiliser after a lot of honing) but because it stands proud of the hollowing it would kilt the blade over so that most of the pressure - for the time the stabiliser was on the hone - was at the tip of the blade. Leading to a wider bevel at the tip and more hone wear at the tip of the spine than the heel. Again, not attractive, not good practice, not necessary.
HOWEVER - if its your own razor and it works for you, then why not? I personally wouldn't do it to my razors and I would never even dream of doing it to a razor that belonged to anyone else. I can't even bring myself to scratch the spine of a razor I have just refurbished so I tape it, but that isn't entirely necessary either. Each to his own, I suppose.
What it boils down to is that people have been honing razors for centuries without much fuss. There is no right or wrong way if the end result is what you want. Nowadays people seem to confuse what they have just learned as the be-all and end all and wander round the place exhibiting themselves at the slightest provocation like some preacher of the straight edge looking for converts. It will all be forgotten again, so its no big deal.
Regards,
Neil
Now where did I put my medecine...?
