Thread: How to use my Barber's Hone?

Huzzah! Hurray! I got a good shave!

I used light strokes on the hone and then I used pastes which Larry suggested. Finally no pulling!

Thanks SRP and thanks Larry if you're reading this!

I really didn't like the idea of getting pastes though. I wanted to get by with the least amount of stuff possible. Oh well, it was cheap and doesn't take up TOO much space.

One more question, what happens if you use a stropping stroke on a hone? Does it do any thing productive?

Not really. If you decide to experiment anyway (and that's always good) keep in mind the directions of the striations produced by the x-stroke. You need to reverse it for the stropping, or back, stroke. That means the heel-leading normal x-stroke needs to be converted into a toe-leading stropping stroke.

Originally Posted by gull

Huzzah! Hurray! I got a good shave!

I used light strokes on the hone and then I used pastes which Larry suggested. Finally no pulling!

Thanks SRP and thanks Larry if you're reading this!

I really didn't like the idea of getting pastes though. I wanted to get by with the least amount of stuff possible. Oh well, it was cheap and doesn't take up TOO much space.

One more question, what happens if you use a stropping stroke on a hone? Does it do any thing productive?

+1 on the comment by Utopian.

A stropping stroke can remove a burr if one develops.
The reason for a minimum number of hone strokes is to
not develop a burr. A burr seems sharp may even pass
the HHT but will nick, bite and dull quickly.


If I "over think" the process I might say:
I like to almost develop a burr but if it begins to develop
the quality of the edge for shaving degrades in a hurry and
is hard to recover from. Circles and the pyramid method
both minimize the development and problems of a burr.

From the last couple posts you are on the track to a
good shave so keep on with what is working.