Would it possible to just get my razors honed professionally once, then just touch them up periodically every so often using a barbers hone?
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Would it possible to just get my razors honed professionally once, then just touch them up periodically every so often using a barbers hone?
possible yes im sure of that
will i be able to do it i dont know
Yes. indeed Yes
I've seen in the wiki that this method, combined by frequent stropping, is perfect for starting out. If regularly stropped correctly then it should be a while till you need to touch up on a hone.
Its certainly possible, with a few caveats (based on my own, small amount of experience honing).
Make sure that whoever hones your razor tells you whether they used tape or not - if they use tape, then in most cases, you should too until the bevel is reset on that razor.
Even on a barbers hone, improper technique can/will destroy the edge on a blade and possibly require a re-hone. Make sure you practice on some junkers first, so you don't accidentally blunt your razor.
Other than that, you should be right - lots of people look after their razors in this manner.
I've seen some members who said that they did just that for years before coming to SRP and getting into honing in a big way. Give it a try and it will either work or it won't. Report back on your progress. Sticky, Sham, and nun2sharp have a lot of experience with the barber hones and can advise you along the way if you run into trouble and there are instructions for the Swaty and other barber hones in the SRP Wiki image files IIRC.
Absolutely, in fact if you want to spend a little time, you can hone them yourself as well. It's not rocket science.Quote:
Originally Posted by BYUTexan
the whole point would be to avoid having to buy a regular hone or send them in to get honed professionally.
There was a member hear that went by the name of Utopian who maintained his rotation of straights with a barber hone for four years. It has been done and no doubt you could too.Quote:
Originally Posted by BYUTexan
Quote:
Originally Posted by BYUTexan
Well, the original post implied that they would be sent off initially to be honed by a pro. Depending on how many razors you have, the money spent having them honed would more than cover a "regular" hone. The same technique applies, so the work you do maintaining them on a barber's hone would only get better and you would have a more confident hand if you learned to set bevels and do the initial honing yourself as well. If you can learn to maintain, you can learn to get the edge to the point of maintenance.
So while were on the topic (and im sure there r threads about this ) is it better to touch up on a barbers hone or chrome ox. ?
A two sided barber hone, like a Keen Kutter Kombination, is very handy for low cost honing. You actually get two hones, a side capable of sharpening and the other for finishing. I recently honed up two new razors, both now give close shaves. Yes, it took a couple hundred passes on the sharpening side, followed by 10-20 on the finishing side. Then CrO paddle, linen and leather. But the final result is just as good as my other razors.
Hello, everyone:
This has been a most useful thread in producing commentary along the same stream on the usefulness of the barber's hone.
The one thing I must add to the commentary is my hearty nod to the quality of Xman's honing video. My dear X, this is excellent work. No gimmicks, no extraneous talk, to the point, and quite instructive.
Thanks for creating a little gem of a honing video.
Regards,
Obie
obieyadgar.com
I used a barber hone for a few years before I decided to get more hones. Even now my barber hone is my finisher. I still don't have a lot of money invested in hones, and the barber hone continues to prove itself.
Yes.... and no.Quote:
Originally Posted by thewatermark
Barbers hones have a reputation for being very different.
Some are fast, some slow, smooth, rough.... In general
they are all light touch, five strokes and you are finished hones.
CrOx is softer and finer than all but perhaps the finest barber hone.
I think the only answer that makes sense to me is that CrOx being
less abrasive is better to use as a touch up first. Eventually CrOx
will not improve the edge so a more aggressive hone will be needed
and a good barber hone could do the trick. If you have one
of the better barber hones sure, a bad one no.
One hint might be to use lather with a barber hone unless it
is one of the rare ones that does not need it.
Edit: I am not sure but if you are on Ebray and the barber hone
has an original box it is not as good as a well used one. The good
box might have held a hone that was almost never used.... If the
odds are 1 in four of winning a good hone for less than 40 bucks
the smart money goes for a modern man made finisher.
I have a 2 line swaty, but havent lapped it yet, also it seems to wick away water when water is put on it is that normal?
How does it hone without lapping (try it first).Quote:
Originally Posted by thewatermark
It may have a fine and useful polish that you
may wish to keep and enjoy. Or is it too abused
for this....
Haven't tried it , i always thought u had to lap it first before you use any hone, but actually its in extremely good shape( a little too good) it is super smooth to the touch and like i said when i put water on it it wicks it away and its hard to keep water on it , so should i use lather, or oil? sorry for the iphone picsQuote:
Originally Posted by niftyshaving
Take some scotch brite and wash it down good. The old barber who gave me my first Swaty in the '80s used them dry. Get any residual gunk off of it that may have accumulated over the years and try it without lapping. If it works well it won't be an issue and if it doesn't you can always lap it.
I have used them with water as a finisher before I had high grit hones and as a re-touch hone dry. They are a brute to lap unless you have something like a DMTXX so if it was me I would try it cleaned up and as is. I have a long one that I've used (with the x stroke) and never lapped and it works spiffy.
Here are the instructions that came with a NOS Swaty I got awhile ago.
I have used a barbers hone (enders) for many years..I keep the acutal water sharpening stones out in the garage and a barbers hone under the bathroom sink fro touch ups. I have had good luck with the Enders. I haven't used lather though....I just run it under some warm water for a minute or so. I actually think people get a little carried away with stones and hones..They didn't use Japanese water stones back in the day, and still managed to pull off a decent shave....:soapbox:
Had more money in the bank too. :rofl2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wintchase
+1 on comments by JimmyHADQuote:
Originally Posted by thewatermark
No oil. Lather is good so is just clear water.
It should be super smooth to the touch, that is a good thing.
I do not have a Swaty the good ones are supposed to be super
smooth.
So first give it a cleaning and try it.
Old barber hones are made of fired clay and stuff.
A lot like a common flower pot.
Ceramic making is interesting... ceramics can have a surface
slip that is much finer than the bulk of the material.
They can also be full of "grog" or even sand to prevent shrinking
and cracks. Depending on how well milled and classified
the grog (think filler) is the inside of an old ceramic hone
can differ drastically from the surface clay slip.
Apparently lots of people do lap their barber hones and it
works well for them.... but if you are lucky and have a well
conditioned near ideal surface there is no value in risking
damage to it.