honing

Honing is a precision finishing process that uses abrasive action to produce very smooth, accurate surfaces or edges. It is used to remove small amounts of material and to improve geometry, circularity, and surface finish on components such as cylinders, bores, and blade edges. Different contexts interpret honing differently, but the common goal is to achieve tight tolerances with a specific surface texture.

In metalworking, honing most often refers to bore finishing. A honing machine uses bonded abrasive stones mounted on a flexible head that oscillates while the workpiece is rotated or held stationary. Lubricants or coolant carry away swarf and cool the stones. The process creates a characteristic crosshatched surface pattern that promotes oil retention and even wear, improving sealing in engine cylinders and the accuracy of precision shafts.

In blade and tool sharpening, honing is the act of realigning an edge rather than removing substantial material. A honing steel or fine-grit stone is used to straighten micro-teeth that have bent or folded during use. While sharpening removes material to form a new edge, honing sharpens by smoothing and realigning the existing edge to restore cutting performance.

Honing is also used in stone and wood finishing. In natural stone, honing produces a matte, non-reflective surface by abrading with progressively finer grits. In woodworking and cabinetry, honing improves the edge quality of chisels and planes, yielding cleaner cuts and a more precise fit.

Overall, honing emphasizes precision and surface quality, with methods tailored to the material and application.