Thread: A Unified Theory of Honing and Stropping?

Yes and I think creating a painting can be reduced to the same level as you state. Afterall its just paint and brushes and pushing a brush across a canvas right?

Seriously though there have been these discussions about whether honing is a science or an art. To me there are just too many variables involved. To know what to do and what to use at the right time can't be reduced to some formula. For most of us things keep changing with every razor. Maybe the aim and mechanism are the same but getting there is like the guy doing the painting. Its his skill with the stuff that creates a masterpiece.

Yea you could say in the old days people had but one hone and managed to maintain their razors and most didn't have much skill but I'm not convinced that alot of guys ever had truly shave ready razors. Most probably used razors that were so-so and relied on now and then professional honing jobs which were much easier and cheaper to get than now.