Thread: Franz Zwaty hones as finishing stones?

I was wondering about something, let's say my straigth razor started to pull, so I give it a few passes on a Franz Zwaty hone, strop, and then my straigth razor becomes shave ready again, So why not use hones as finishing stones? Of course just a few passes.

I have been preaching the use of Barber hones for years now, There is no need to buy a million dollars worth of hones to keep a blade shave ready, But then there is this thing we call HAD, ask Jimmy about it,

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

I have been preaching the use of Barber hones for years now, There is no need to buy a million dollars worth of hones to keep a blade shave ready, But then there is this thing we call HAD, ask Jimmy about it,

I couldn't agree more with Nun2Sharp!!!

I have honed Many a EBAY 'cheapie' from start to finish using just a barber hone. Especially the ones that are 2-sided combination hones. My favorite's being the American Hone Co. offerings, most particularly the "00" Frictionite model. But I have also used considerably less expensive Carborundum razor hones as well ( mostly overlooked as very nice razor hones by most folks!) to good effect. The 2-sided Swaty also works quite well.

Quote from "Essay on Barber's Razors, Razor Hones, Razor Strops, and Razor Honing (1895)" :

"The "Swaty" (a reddish brown artificial hone) has a course side for quick work and a fine side to finish on, from thirty to forty strokes on the coarse side and twenty to twenty-five strokes on the fine side. Use water, oil or lather. Length five and one-half and eight inches. Price $1.00 to $1 50. Sold by most all Barbers' Supply Dealers, Cutlers and Grinders. Every Barber cannot use this hone successfully.”

WP34

Barbers used then for finishing for many many years.

It's just that we here are so anal about honing, looking for the next secret stone to perform miracles for us.

As I always say all roads lead to Rome.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As I always say all roads lead to Rome.

Yes, but isn't it nice to be able to visit Venice, Florence, and Milan along the way?

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

Yes, but isn't it nice to be able to visit Venice, Florence, and Milan along the way?

Only if you have the extra $$$ for the extended tour.

Isn't that why they invented credit cards?

jelajemi....I was being a bit facetious, so let me just say that I do agree with
nun2sharp and bigspender: you really don't need much more than a good
barber hone, as long as the razor edge remains undamaged, to maintain a
decent shaving edge.

For 16 years, I lived on a small remote Pacific island, and for all that time
I kept my razor in pretty good order using only a Swaty 3-line hone, a small
translucent Arkansas stone, and an Illinois 827 strop.

It wasn't until I got back here to "The Big PX" that RAD/HAD set in.
Read gssixgun's recent post: http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ne-2013-a.html

Glen is right, too. There's lots of nice stuff out there, and some of it really
does make for a better shave, but it's easy to go overboard. It took me
awhile to understand what KISS meant, as far as shaving gear is concerned.

Good luck.

Paul

Than you everybody, I keep learning. and by the way as far as shaving is concerned, What KISS means? Thank you.

very good article. the one you just recommended (gssixgun) I keep on learning, but thanks to people like you, who in a very unselfish and humble way like to share the knowledge