Thread: How to use my Barber's Hone?

Originally Posted by gull

Well here's an update. I honed two razors, one 6/8 and one 4/8. Both were honed by whippeddog.

Now the 6/8 worked well and only had little dulling before I touched it up. The 4/8 was worse and even after using the Barber's Hone it still is pulling hair.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong! My first thought was that I need to use tape on it, but why would I need to if my 6/8 didn't need tape and they both were honed by the same person? Also the spine shows hone ware so I assumed it was honed without tape.

I'm not using any pressure and I used lather on it. Any idea why it still is pulling? I used X strokes and I did five strokes on each side.

Just so you know, once your stropping technique improves, if your razor was properly honed, it should be several months between needing touch ups, depending of course on shaving frequency, beard coarseness and razor upkeep.

Ron, you should write a book. Just saying...

What I am finding as I learn how to use my Swaty is that just rubbing a wet puck of Williams around on it a bit to build a sticky soap layer, not so much a full lather, works best to create a sticky vacum effect, which helps keep the blade flat during the stroke. A few light x-strokes seems to make a noticeable improvement in the edge.

Originally Posted by Alembic

Just so you know, once your stropping technique improves, if your razor was properly honed, it should be several months between needing touch ups, depending of course on shaving frequency, beard coarseness and razor upkeep.

Right but my 4/8 was my first razor and I will admit to have improperly stropped it.

The razor is still pulling. Besides the shave test which leaves my face butchered, what other type of test can I use to make sure my blade is shave ready again? I know about the arm hair test, but none of my razors can cut my arm hair

Originally Posted by gull

The razor is still pulling. Besides the shave test which leaves my face butchered, what other type of test can I use to make sure my blade is shave ready again? I know about the arm hair test, but none of my razors can cut my arm hair

It took me a while to find out what "shave-ready" meant. A new blade, honed by Lynn at SRD, set the standard for my own work.

Based on my limited experience, if the razor doesn't cut arm hair above the skin, DON'T shave with it. I've tried, and discovered the horrors of a dull razor. If the razor doesn't cut arm hair _at_ the skin (with the edge touching the skin), _for sure_ it's dull.

Other people may have different rules.

My prep is something like this:

. . . Strop the razor 30-40 "round-trips" on leather;

. . . Test on arm hair, keeping the edge above the skin;

. . . If it "pops" hair above the skin, shave with it.

. . . If it doesn't "pop" hair, take 5 - 10 _flat_, _light_ strokes on a 0.5-micron Chromium Oxide "pasted strop".

. . . Strop the razor on leather (as above);

. . . If it "pops" arm hair, shave with it.

. . . If it doesn't "pop" arm hair, go to a lower (coarser) grit.

There are more sophisticated tests, and more sophisticated honing/stropping rules. I think that many barbers (and other people here) would use a "barber hone" -- a fine-grit "touch-up" hone -- instead of my pasted strop.

You'll have to find out what works for you. It's tough to tell just how dull your razors are. One useful test (but not decisive):

. . . Strop the razor.

. . . Hold the razor edge-up on a sunny day, with the edge pointed toward the sun.

. . . If you see any reflection of the sun off the _edge_ (not off the bevels), the razor is dull.

Ideally, the bevels should look like long, flat mirrors. The edge itself -- where the bevels meet -- shouldn't reflect any light at all.

Charles

Thanks Charles.

My razor doesn't "pop" arm hair at all. It just swishes it to the side Am I supposed to lather the hair or wet the hair at all? Or does the arm hair test only involve regular, untreated, dry hair?

I only have a 8000 grit barber hone and I've already given my razor 60+ laps. Shouldn't that be enough already!?

What was the starting condition of the razor? Did it used to shave just fine and now it's not, or did it never shave well? A barber hone is best used for maintaining a previously sharp razor. You should never need to do 60 laps on one.

What is the brand/model of the barber hone? What leads you to believe it to be 8k?

Originally Posted by gull

Thanks Charles.

My razor doesn't "pop" arm hair at all. It just swishes it to the side Am I supposed to lather the hair or wet the hair at all? Or does the arm hair test only involve regular, untreated, dry hair?

I only have a 8000 grit barber hone and I've already given my razor 60+ laps. Shouldn't that be enough already!?

Regular, untreated, dry hair. After lapping on the hoe, strop the razor on leather. Then try the test.

Note that no "test" is perfect. I've found the arm-hair test to be pretty good at predicting what will shave well, and what won't.

You should try to find somebody who knows what "sharp" means, to check the blade.

If the razor is really dull (for example, if you can see light reflecting off the edge), it will take a _really long time_ to sharpen on a fine-grit hone. It's much quicker to use sandpaper (1000 - 2000 grit) to fix the _big_ problems, and a fine hone to fix the _little_ problems (like the scratches left by the sandpaper).

I use the techniques in the "scary sharp" wiki:

Using micro abrasive film - Straight Razor Place Wiki

You may have to completely refresh the edge -- called "re-setting the bevel". There's a lot in the Wiki about how to do that. Or you could send the razor to one of the people in the "Classifieds" who do sharpening and honing. You won't learn much, but you'll have a sharp razor.

Charles

Originally Posted by cpcohen1945

It's much quicker to use sandpaper (1000 - 2000 grit) to fix the _big_ problems, and a fine hone to fix the _little_ problems (like the scratches left by the sandpaper).

I'm going to paraphrase Lynn on this one (though I've seen it for myself as well). He said that among the aborted honing attempts he has had to rescue, the worst damage was done by folks who tried to hone their edges with sandpaper.