On Fri, 3 Jun 2011 13:16:56 -0600, "Sheldon"   
    wrote:   
      
   >   
   >"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.   
   >   
      
   The trouble with you people is you are getting all confused about   
   terms.   
      
   When you hone a knife you use a hone - a fine abrasive, usually, flat   
   stone like device.   
      
   When you Steel a knife you use a steel, a long, sometimes abrasive or   
   grooved, length of steel.   
      
   When you strop a knife you use a strip of leather, or other material,   
   that is charged with a very fine abrasive.   
      
   You don't hone with a steel nor do you strop with a hone.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)