Honing and stropping are processes used to sharpen knives. Honing removes nicks and irregularities from the cutting edge to make it straight and sharp. It is done using a hone, which must be kept clean and lubricated. The process involves pushing and pulling the knife across the hone in strokes until the edge is smooth. Stropping further polishes the edge after honing. It straightens and aligns the microscopic teeth at the edge without removing material, resulting in an even sharper, mirror-like finish.

1. z
Honing And
Stropping

3. z
Honing
 It is a process in which all the nicks and irregularities
in the cutting edge of the knife are removed to make
the cutting edge straight and sharp.

4. z
 After prolonged use or after cutting very hard
tissue, the cutting edge will have become so
damaged that stropping will not resharpen it;
small pieces of metal may have been
removed which will give a jagged edge,
causing lines or tears in section cutting. A
straight cutting edge and the correct bevel
must be restored by grinding the knife on a
hone.

5. z
 Taking care of a hone
 a. The hone is to be kept covered when not in use to prevent
dirt and grit from gaining access to the surface.
 b. It is to be wrapped in soft cloth and stored in a shallow
wooden box with a lid.
 Lubricants:
 Lubricants are used in sharpening knives. Lubricants acts as
coolant and protects the temper of extreme edge. Lubricants
allow the flow away of fine metal particles from the knife edge
& movement of fresh abrasive particles towards the knife
edge.

7. z
 Method of honing:
 1. keep the hone on a clean non skid surface
 2. Small quantity of lubricants oil is applied and smeared on the
surface.
 3. Knife with handle and back sheath, cutting edge facing away from
operator, is placed heel near the center of the nearest end of the hone.
 4. Hold the knife at either ends between thumb and fore finger
 5. Place the knife at one end of the hone and push diagonally forward
with the cutting edge leading. This is called head to toe motion.
 6. when the knife reaches the other end of the hone, it is pushed over
on its back and pulled back steadily towards the operator.
 7. The process is repeated 10 – 20 strokes or until the ragged edges
are removed.
 8. Put the knife in its box.
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8. z
Stropping
 Process of polishing the already fairly sharpened
edge after honing.
 Stropping removes the last imperfections of the cut.
With even greater sharpness as a result. It also has
an aesthetic goal: stropping makes the cut shine like
a mirror. This is also called “mirror-edge”.

9. z
 What is the purpose of stropping?
 You must remember that the main purpose of stropping is not to
remove material but to straighten and align the microscopic
teeth that are at the edge of the blade.
 The purpose of stropping is to remove the “burr” formed
during honing and to polish cutting edge.