wrote in message
oups.com...
blade angle. Also, with the roller in the back you only use half the
stone.

Why wouldn't you just flip the stone around 180 degrees?

That is always an option if you are just talking about wear on the stone.
I'm actually talking about the process of using the stone to sharpen
something. In this case there are some considerations.

1) then the black slurry gets all over the roller.
2) there may be an area in the middle that gets a hump.
3) in my opinion, the best sharpening is done in the middle of the stroke.
4) shorter strokes mean you need to take more of them. When I sharpen I keep
my arms and upperbody fairly still and move my legs so I'd rather be taking
fewer long strokes.
5) the nature of the roller promotes a linear motion in the same location
instead of working across the entire width of the stone.

That is enough for now. I just find the guide to be less than the optimum
and more of a hassle than a help. Your experience may be different.

-j