Thread: GRIT!

Grit is one of those things that we get hung up on needlessly sometimes. The coarseness or fineness of a particular hone's grit is only part of the equation. Other factors include the shape of the grit particles (are they fairly smooth and rounded, or are they sharp and jagged?) and the hardness of the material the grits are embedded in.

Less jagged particles leave a smoother edge than their grit size might indicate. That's why a coticule performs like a higher grit hone than a Norton 8K, even though the particle size is similar.

A hard matrix leaves less of the individual grits exposed to cut, so the hone acts like a finer grit. That's how some guys can use a 2K Arkansas natural hone as a finishing hone.

Most barber hones seem to be in the medium or fine category, between 6K and 10K. They were touch-up hones, and most were manufactured with the idea that you would shave off them without any further refining of the edge.

You really have to try each one and see how the edge performs. One of my barber hones produces an edge that seems duller than a Norton 8K edge, but it is more comfortable to shave with.

Barber hones were made by many manufacturers, and the quality seems pretty varied. As much as we'd like to help, the best approach is probably experimentation.

Josh