55c1e7a1   
   From: sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net   
      
   "rod"  wrote in message   
   news:acd13cbd-7a0a-4836-ab2d-22c182da868e@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com...   
   On May 30, 3:07 pm, "Sheldon"  wrote:   
   > "Pringles CheezUms"  wrote in message   
   >   
   > news:eer3u65pl9javfuq09q39kbhue99sj1bau@4ax.com...   
   >   
   > > I've got a question about honing.   
   > > I watch a lot of cooking shows and every time you see someone hone a   
   > > knife you see them running the knives on the steel with the edge first.   
   > > I.e. pushing it with the edge away from you or pulling it with the edge   
   > > toward you. Every single person does this, including the knife   
   > > professional on the episode of Good Eats that covers it.   
   >   
   > > This seems backwards to me. If what you are doing is to get the edge   
   > > back straight it seems you would need to reverse the orientation of the   
   > > knife. Pull with the edge away from you and push with the edge toward   
   > > you. Doing it the way you see it done would seem to me to be bending the   
   > > edge down further or even doubling up the edge.   
   >   
   > > Can someone explain why or why not do it like you see everyone else   
   > > doing it?   
   >   
   > It's an interesting question. I would assume, and we all know what that   
   > means, when stropping, which is usually done on leather or fabric, we do   
   > pull the blade across the surface, like when you strop a razor or even a   
   > knife. However, when using steel, ceramics or stone we always push the   
   > blade away from us. So, I'm not so sure it's what we are doing but the   
   > material we use to do it that determines a pull or a push.   
   >   
   > Also, while the softness of leather or cloth or even mild abrasives can   
   > put   
   > a very keen edge on a razor for shaving, that same edge is not required of   
   > a   
   > kitchen knife and would not last very long.   
      
   ***And just when you think you've seen stupid leave it to Shelly to   
   come along and put his own size 12 boot up his very own arse and not   
   stopping until he reaches the back of his teeth! Brilliant Mate!   
      
   Rockin' Rod Shaftenauer   
   YeeeeeeeeeHawwwww   
      
   I said "assume." That should give me some leeway.  And I think there's is   
   some merit to my answer.  If not, tell me why.  When you remove even the   
   slightest amount of material from the edge you push as if cutting.  When you   
   strop you pull the blade against the material. A steel is probably removing   
   a minute amount of material as it straightens the edge.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)