Being a new bloke [Aussie slang for a male person] to this forum but an old bloke to using a razor - 42 years- I have found this forum to be informative and interesting in as much that I did not know that using a razor had such a group of aficanados.

What I find most interesting is how it appears that honing a razor has been turned almost into rocket science. I concede that I have been doing this sort of thing a long time and so it is almost 2nd nature to me, but I am intrigued by hones of 12000, 20000, etc etc, and I have no benchmark to say that a razor finished with a particular hone is going to shave any better than a razor finished with a different hone.

Over the years I have used Arkansas stones as they were about the only thing available, and whilst not being a complete Luddite they worked well and delivered the appropriate result, so I looked no further. To add to this I have a 'Razor Hone' that used to belong to my grandfather, I have no idea what it is, it is basically black with a sort of a brown swirl through it, I think it would date from the late 1800's or early 1900's and it is as hard as granite.

To get a final polish on this stone is a time consuming affair with lots of passes being taken to get a final polish.........and that is just the way it was done.All this has been done over the years using kerosene or diesel and the lubricating medium.

As I said, not being a complete Luddite I have recently purchased a Norton 4000/8000 stone. The really impressive thing about this stone is how quickly it removes stock yet giving a good result. On this stone, for me it is 5 passes each side on the 4000, 10 passes each side on the 8000, and there it is.

This takes all of a few minutes whereas previously it was a good half hour job.

Stropping - after each shave 10 passes on linen 20 passes on leather and good as gold. I would only use the hone about once every couple of months ot so.

I think a hollow ground razor is just about as close to the perfect single use tool a bloke could pick up. Because of the hollow grind you always get the angle right when honing - its a bit of a guess with a knife or chisel. It is difficult to envisage what other use you could put a razor to without damaging it for its intended purpose.

I can't help but think if you start getting into these superfine hones, you are really moving into the area of diminishing returns, in that you will spend a lot of time and money for a very small, and often undetectable increase in performance, and you may well be looking for somthing that is unachievable.

In thinking about it, when using ultra fine hones, I believe you would have to have some idea of the molecular make up of the blade you are sharpening. It may be you could be trying to sharpen somethng to a point where its molecular structure may not be able to support it

So thats my thoughts on honing.........Thanks for taking the time to read