Relaxing an edge.

yog

yog

Joined
Mar 30, 2001
Messages
423
After honing a blade on a bench stone it is recommnded to let the edge relax before stropping. Unfortunately I'm usually too impatient to let it relax, so I strop straight after and there after keep realigning with a steel.

So how long should you let an edge relax ?
 
Depends on the edge. Usually after I am done sharpening I make sure the edge is comfortable, dim the lights a bit, put on some mellow music, maybe a few cocktails...

Seriously though, I've never even heard of letting an edge relax. Hopefully someone who actually knows what he or she is talking about will post.
--Josh
 
The edge after honing should be very crisp if properly sharpened with very little metal in a highly deformed state. I doubt that the relaxing would be significant. Try to wait and see if you get improved results.

-Cliff
 
Yes, overnight there is a difference. If the edge felt good in the evening, it happens, that it felt somehow, somewhere rough in the morning. Guess this depends on the fine burrs left after sharpening. If they are away, no difference.

So it depends on how good the burrs are cut away. And it comes overnight.
 
The "relaxing" instructions come out of the straight razor arena. You may see much less of an effect if your edge is not real thin. I don't think it hurts anything to strop immediately, you just see the most benefit if you strop or steel just before use. I think the issue is that you want to unrelax the edge (allign it) just before use (before it can relax itself back out of allignment). You will see more of an effect with thin kitchen knife blades.
 
I'm speaking from Zero knowledge or experience, but perhaps it has to do with the edge cooling down therefore contracting to its true shape.
 
Marcelo Cantu :

perhaps it has to do with the edge cooling down ...
Click to expand...

During honing some of the metal at the edge gets deformed while some of it gets cut. How much of each happens depends on the cutting ability of the abrasive. Ideally after each grit change you would let the edge relax totally before proceeding to the next grit. This would insure that there is a minimization of deformed metal left at the edge as it is possible that there is metal which is perfectly aligned at the edge but in a highly deformed state which will relax to being out of alignment sometime later.

That is the theory. In practice this isn't a significant problem because the amount of deformation should be insignificant with proper honing techniques. Hones should always be freshly cleaned, waterstones and similar should be lapped on a regular basis to keep them flat and even, and during a long honing session the hones should be periodically cleared of excess debris. Any burrs which develop should be cut off by a couple of light honing passes into the edge (the into part is critical, trailing is useless) at a finer grit.

This problem is usually only significant on soft floppy steels. Cheap stainless kitchen knives are among the worst, they will form burrs that large you can readily see them and peel off strips more than a millimeter wide with your finger nail.

-Cliff
 
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