Thread: KEEPING RAZOR SHARP

Barber hones are about 10k grit and you can pick them up on eBay for around $25. I would advise keeping your knife and razor stones separate because the knives will wear the hones far more than a razor.

Barber hones are also probably a bit small to use with knives, being about 5"x1.5".

Different edge requirements for a knife than a razor. My method for blade maintenance is as follows:

1. Daily stropping
2. CrO pasted paddle strop every 5-6 weeks (YMMV)
3. Norton 4K/8K every 2-3 months (YMMV)

The time to put your razor on a pasted strop or hone is really dictated by the edge, i.e., the razor begins to tug when you shave. The time between the pasted strop and hone varies depending on your usage (how many razors in your rotation), shave techniques, etc... Unless you damage your edge, you will not need to redo the edge for a very long time.

Originally Posted by Stubear

Barber hones are about 10k grit and you can pick them up on eBay for around $25.

There's dozens of "barber hones" listed on eBay, with more listed every day. How do you separate the good from the bad?

Originally Posted by C0ckRobin

There's dozens of "barber hones" listed on eBay, with more listed every day. How do you separate the good from the bad?

Mostly from the physical shape they are in.

Most are finishers though there are afew that are lower grit. Unless you are familiar with them you just have to assume it will be a typical finisher.

These days I've been experimenting with cigar ash on the canvas side.
About 10 laps a week. I've kept a blade that reay needs to be honed going in this way for months with good results but extra pressure is required on the leather. I know it rounds the bevel and I shouldn't be advocating bad habits but hey, it works for me?

Originally Posted by Deckard

These days I've been experimenting with cigar ash on the canvas side.
About 10 laps a week. I've kept a blade that reay needs to be honed going in this way for months with good results but extra pressure is required on the leather. I know it rounds the bevel and I shouldn't be advocating bad habits but hey, it works for me?

Hey Lynn, you gotta get this stuff on sale at SRD!
Now, where are you going to find cigar ash?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Mostly from the physical shape they are in.

Most are finishers though there are afew that are lower grit. Unless you are familiar with them you just have to assume it will be a typical finisher.

That's just it - I'm not familiar with which hones are good ("Boss Barber"?) and not so good ("Zeepk"?).

Any name brands to look for, or avoid?

I bought a real nice barbers hone from Larry@Whippeddog. Got a good deal on it.

I suggest looking at the "Hones" forum. In one of the threads the posts bascially compiled a database of barber hones and compared them to hones of known grit. Lots of good info there to help you spend your $25. Some are single grit hones, others (my faves) are double grit, easily seen in the different colors on the different sides of the hone.

Off the top of my head, some known "good" brands would be:

Swaty
Pike
Norton (their old barber hones are quite rare and expensive)
Norton with the "Pike" stamp
SRD (S. R. Droescher)
A commonly found hone under several brands that I like a lot that is instantly recognizable by the sticker on the side (picture attached):

• Dubl Duck
• Reliance
• Gem
• O.V.B. "Our Very Best"

Regal
The Winner-actually my overall favorite, picture attached , posed with a couple of my razors
Simmons Hardware/Keen Kutter (usually comes in a cool metal case)

There are more, of course and I'm sure others will chime in. We newbies tend to overdo it, though. These hones are designed for a few touch-up strokes, not the cycles of 10 that characterize serious honing. Usually 4-7 strokes is all it should take to freshen up an edge.

A nice barber hone is a very useful tool in your kit.

I woud go with the CrOx on balsa. You use it just as you would the strop, but only a few strokes and then strop normally. Passing on a tip I learned from another member, be sure you wipe the blade clean so you don't get any on your strop.