On 14 Feb 2006 21:19:15 -0800, wrote:

When sharpening a blade on a waterstone, or any other stone I suppose,
should you work the blade only in one direction or both? If only one
direction, Forward or Backward? Forward means towards the blades
point.


Here's one set of opinions.
URL:http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00003.asp

I use an Arkansas stone and typically a straight forward-and-backward
motion, sometimes figure-eights with chisels. Plane irons are too
wide to do figure-eights on the stone I have.


--
Chuck Taylor
http://home.hiwaay.net/~taylorc/contact/