I bought a strop (cloth and leather)...besides this, should I get anything else to keep the razor sharp until it needs to be honed? I have read I could go a couple of months before it needs to be hones, what should I do between?
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I bought a strop (cloth and leather)...besides this, should I get anything else to keep the razor sharp until it needs to be honed? I have read I could go a couple of months before it needs to be hones, what should I do between?
You could get a barber hone and/or some CrO on balsa.
These 2 items would keep you going for awhile providing you do not do anything catastrophic to your blade.
I bought the razor shave ready....what course is a barber hone? If I just bought one to keep it going for now....10k, 12k?..........I have several hunting knives, could I sharpen them with the same stones?
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. :beer1:
Thanks guys....i think i will buy a set for my knives....and just buy a 10k for the touch ups every couple of months...I think that should cover me.
CrO on balsa works the best for me
I have the same quandary about buying a hone. I'd like to be able to afford a set, or even the 4k/8k norton for now but this seems the most cost effective. I've read various things about making your own balsa hone/paddle. One thing in particular that I wonder about is whether you need to lap the balsa or not. Some say its soft and pliable where it doesn't require it and others say it is necessary.Quote:
Originally Posted by spechobbies
There's dozens of "barber hones" listed on eBay, with more listed every day. How do you separate the good from the bad?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stubear
Mostly from the physical shape they are in.Quote:
Originally Posted by C0ckRobin
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?:shrug:
Hey Lynn, you gotta get this stuff on sale at SRD!Quote:
Originally Posted by Deckard
Now, where are you going to find cigar ash?
That's just it - I'm not familiar with which hones are good ("Boss Barber"?) and not so good ("Zeepk"?).Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
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.
I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm about to send my razor to Max for a honing. I have an SRD Premium II with the regular canvas and I've added nothing to it - no neats foot, no CrOx - nothing. I also have a Filly from Don Rupp with a green "splat" on the rough side, which I assume to be CrOx. I have no doubt that I was stropping incorrectly for the first few weeks, but now I think muscle memory has kicked in and I think I'm doing it right - the sound the razor makes during the laps is uniform throughout the stroke on both sides. Also, I only shave every other day.
After reading tips, tricks, wikis, etc this is my schedule
1) I run about 20 laps on the canvas, then 20 on the Premium II smooth side
2) About once a week or so I'll run about 20 laps on the green "splat", don't wipe, then 20 on the smooth side of the filly. then I wipe the blade.
This seems to have held up pretty good. I'm curious about CrOx on balsa or maybe adding a spray to the filly or canvas. This is why I come to the experts :)
I have been very successful at keeping my edges sharp for very smooth shaves by using the canvas/leather strop for the lions share of stropping and using a pasted paddle strop to touch up the edges every few shaves (3-7) depending on what straight edge is being stropped. I seem to having a lot of success with my pasted paddle strop which I bought from Tony Miller.
I test the edges by touching them with my thumb pad as I know the feel of a fine edge that will yield a great BBS shave. If the usual stropping isn't getting the edge finished just right, then the straight edge will usually get about 10 passes on the .50 micron ChromOx paste.
I plan to add a barber hone to this pasted paddle strop maintenance process and think this may help keep the straight edges sharp and performing well for a very long time, such as years. Only time will tell.
Pabster
I've seen somewhere online that someone suggest using a piece of electrical tape on the spine to hone the edge of their razors.
I've yet to buy a hone yet & am thinking of getting one from here but seeing that info made me wonder & thought to ask before I do...