When honing a chisel or plane iron, it’s sometimes difficult to tell exactly where the bevel is touching the stone. Eliminate uncertainty by swiping a permanent felt-tip marker over the entire bevel before you take the tool to the stone. After a few strokes on the abrasive, you’ll be able to see the exact area of contact, alerting you as to whether your angle is correct. You can repeat this process every time you switch stones to ensure that you remain on target.
