Thread: Wanna make it sharp....need stone

Hello I'm a newbie ( surprise) who would like to get involved in sharpening -honing my own self....trouble is ...there are no stones to be found in the great state of Arizona...with all the whiskers here it seems impossible to me that I have to buy from an on-line store...what did the older cowboys do before there was a sidewalk to sharpen our razors on....I know those wooden walkways would not have done it ---did the barber have to go on-line to get a new stone from as far away as Chicago...

there is a woodworking store on the west side of I-17 near Union Hills. They do not have the Norton 4/8, but they do have several other stones, I have had some luck with a Japanese water stone rated 1/6 k. I paid $35.00 Then there is always the internet to order everything

...it's not that know how ,or can learn...it is that if I'm willing to place a very sharp blade against my carotid artery and move it around...I want as much responsibility as possible for the results...I need a stone for honing and another for sharpening and a strop for maintaining the burr....I have one lead on where to get a stone or information to convince me not to do it myself...a start it is ---a start it is...Doug

I'd order online. You can get the 1/6 Japanese it should work well but a Norton is sure to do the job. Check out Howard at The perfect edge.com hes a good guy and a member.

Even the old time barbers had Sears & Roebuck

Just reread my answer, sorry the shop is east of I-17, it is very easy to see from the interstate. There are also other wood working stores call around some one will carry the norton.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

I'd order online. You can get the 1/6 Japanese it should work well but a Norton is sure to do the job. Check out Howard at The perfect edge.com hes a good guy and a member.

Even the old time barbers had Sears & Roebuck

Agreed, Howard has a lot of good stuff on his site!

You might also post a WTB in the B/S/T and see if anyone offers you some good deals.

Originally Posted by inshadeoftree

Hello I'm a newbie ( surprise) who would like to get involved in sharpening -honing my own self....trouble is ...there are no stones to be found in the great state of Arizona...with all the whiskers here it seems impossible to me that I have to buy from an on-line store...what did the older cowboys do before there was a sidewalk to sharpen our razors on....I know those wooden walkways would not have done it ---did the barber have to go on-line to get a new stone from as far away as Chicago...

Most likely a traveling sales rep from Theo Kochs Barber Supply Chicago (one of the biggest barber supply companys of the late 19th century and into the mid 20th cent) would have visited or sent the barber a Kochs catalog. From there he would have a choice of many different types of either natural water, or synthetic stones. But those days are long gone.

Here's a nice barber's hone I have up for auction: Barber Hone

I found some text in an old NY Times newspaper (1814), seem to suggest that barbers in the old days would send razors back to Germany to be reground.

Originally Posted by inshadeoftree

......I have one lead on where to get a stone or information to convince me not to do it myself...a start it is ---a start it is...Doug

If this is your first blade the recommendation has pretty much been to send it to one of the honemeisters on the board so you have something to compare to. Get yourself a cheap ebay blade to practice on.

Bob