Originally Posted by
Pete_S
Well, I'm the guy on the other end of the equation, the one who is just learning, but I think my experiences might be useful to you. So far I've gotten 5 razors up and running. I don't know how your friend feels about honing, but part of the appeal of straits to me was honing, so I didn't have any issues with learning this skill and the problems that I knew I'd hit, but perhaps he might.
I think the best method is the start from scratch approach-I think that a newbie and a barber hone are gonna result in a dull razor, it certainly would have for me when I started out- I even managed to de shave ready my razor with my first stropping. It is a steeper learning curve, but when the process was demystified, I became much more comfortable with razor maintenance. Before this I felt there was a big old sword of Damocles hanging over my head every time I shaved, stropped, or considered trying to touch up a razor.
Make sure that he gets a Norton 4k/8k, I tried to get by with just a DMT 8k dia plate since they supposedly cut so fast, and ended up taking forever and a day to hone my first razors . Once I got the Norton and started with the pyramiding honing was much easier.
One other thing, as stated above, if your friend is experienced at honing knives and such he will have alot to unlearn. For example, the no/ultra-low pressure thing took me a while to get down-I'd space out to lala land while honing and come back to find myself pressing the razor into the stone like it was a knife.