circular motion?

[Jeff Clark]

Circular motions tend to leave you with a burred edge. The first reason is that you tend to work one side of the blade at a time. This leaves you with a burr on the side of the blade opposite from the side you are honing. The second reason that it tends to raise a burr is that you are honing at too consistent an angle and part of your honing is drawing the blade back edge-trailing (stropping direction) rather than pushing the blade edge-leading (shaving direction).

If you hone edge-leading and alternate side-to-side (left, right, left, right...) you tend to minimize burr formation for three reasons. Firstly by alternating sides you attack the burr that forms opposite to the honing side of the edge on every stroke. Secondly by honing edge-leading you tend to catch the burr and drag it towards the high contact pressure area between the hone and the edge, thus wearing it off quicker. Thirdly by honing on alternate sides you tend to not keep your honing angle excessively consistent. By getting some variability in your honing stroke (as you switch sides) you not only get some edge convexing you also get some elevated honing angle deburring action.

All the above being said I often use circular strokes when I am working down an edge. It is the way I learned when I was 7 years old. I always finish the edge with edge-leading strokes and some light strokes at an elevated angle to perform deburring.

PS. You don't need flat hones unless you are sharpening a scandi blade or a chisel. I have done some of my best work on oil stones that were dished by around 1/8-inch. It just gives you some automatic convexing of your edge. It is a little more critical on water stones since they are so soft. If they aren't pretty flat you can tend to gouge into them on the forward part of your figure-8 or circular strokes.

 

[RobbW]

PS. You don't need flat hones unless you are sharpening a scandi blade or a chisel.

You don't need a flat hone if you're sharpening a blade with belly. For a straight blade like sheepsfoot, coping, wharncliffe, razor, etc. or even a spey, which is mostly straight until the tip, you need a flat hone. I still get my best sharpening from a flat hone, no question, but I'll respect that your experience may be different. Maybe different technique or blade profile.

 

[annr]

I still get my best sharpening from a flat hone, no question, but I'll respect that your experience may be different. Maybe different technique or blade profile.

I'll second that, with a resounding "Aye".:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[bennyG19]

i've been working on my freehand sharpening skills. I started with a Case knife that was my stepdad's and is from the 1960's with CV steel. It was about the dullest knife ever when I got started. I've got it to cut paper now, but it isn't shaving sharp. Is it possible to get shaving sharp on a stone, or do I need to learn how to strop now?

 

[RobbW]

Congrats on the progress!

You should be able to get the edge shaving sharp even with a relatively coarse 200-300 grit stone. The trick is to get it sharp, then ink it again and regrind with a very light touch. Do this on both sides, grinding completely to the edge and removing the burr carefully. Then re-ink the edge and grind even lighter. Grinding very lightly will get you a much sharper edge than you even imagined from even a coarse stone.