Thread: Honing a straight razor

Hey guys I'm new to straight razor shaving but I have got the stropping and shaving part down pretty well but I need some advice on what kind of stones to get for honing and the proper way to hone any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance

I would see if there is a mentor near you.

Lynn Abrams and Glen, gssixguns, have videos on YouTube that demonstrate honing from bevel setting to finisher, using all the common hones (Naniwa, Norton, Shapton, etc.). You might also consider start out learning to refresh a razor using a finishing stone, pasted strop, or barber hone.

Also, check the red stickies in the top of the honing section of the forum. Feel free to ask questions there about honing and questions about hones in the hone section. If you update your profile to declare your location, as specific or vague as you wish, then someone nearby may volunteer to help you in person.

I suppose I could give some of the standard advice to begin with...

If you are already shaving, then you started with a sharp razor. That means you can get by with just a single maintenance hone. A great synthetic for this is the Naniwa Specialty (formerly SuperStone) 12k. It is a great finisher and is sufficient to keep your razors a sharp permanently with regular touch-ups. Because these are consistent in their make-up and because many people have them, you can get a lot of reliable advice about their use.

A cheaper and older option that can be a bit more variable is a barber hone. There is a lot of information in the forum about them and that is a good thing because there is a wide variety of barber hones out there. They also can be used for permanent maintenance but they can be more variable both because of their original manufacture and their current condition. A good barber hone used properly can make a great edge though.

There are other natural stone options, with a common one being a coticule, but their performance can vary from stone to stone.

OK, that's a start for you. Read up on whatever interests you and ask more questions!

Thanks that is very helpful

You might want to show where you live as there could be one of the guys close to you who will be able to mentor you in person which really cuts down the learning curve.

Im a newbie as well. Ive been SR shaving sine Christmas, and have been bitten by the bug and have since purchased a Wade & butched o line that needs some TLC. Any reccomendations on who I can send it to to get shave ready? My current shaver is a dovo and I got the strolli g down too, but want to get the W&B ready to go.

Originally Posted by JMac8504

Im a newbie as well. Ive been SR shaving sine Christmas, and have been bitten by the bug and have since purchased a Wade & butched o line that needs some TLC. Any reccomendations on who I can send it to to get shave ready? My current shaver is a dovo and I got the strolli g down too, but want to get the W&B ready to go.

Mac, Robert Keys in Hendersonville, TN is a restorer and a great guy. He took time and patience when I brought my Dovo up to him when I got it and not only made it truly shave ready, but took time to show me his honing technique and proper stropping. When I first called he just chatted away before I asked if I could come by since I only live 15 miles from him. bobsrazors.com is the website.

If you have a chance to meet with Bob Keyes, by all means do so. I never have met him but I've seen enough of his work to know that he is an expert.

Originally Posted by Utopian

If you have a chance to meet with Bob Keyes, by all means do so. I never have met him but I've seen enough of his work to know that he is an expert.

He is a very cool guy. I will probably head back to his house in a few weeks for a check up and have him tell me if I'm doing it wrong lol

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I'm in the south bay, California if you need help.