Thread: Barber hone as a finisher?

Yeah the Apart is a nice one, wait to get one some time :-)

I don't have a frictionite hone, but I do have two separate bench stones (821 and 825?) that are basically the same thing. They are a comfortable shave, actually, I'd never need the coarse one to maintain a razor. they remind me of a *good* coticule, the edge is comfortable and pretty keen, but not blinding sharp, with a crispy feel and sound in shaving.

I've got another half glazed over looking OVB razor hone that will also do the work of a finisher if needed (it's black and the surface was polished by the manufacturer - probably lapped), but most of the red aluminum oxide barber hones I've ever seen are too coarse to work as a finisher. I suppose someone designed them to quickly restore a little bit of bevel geometry without working to the edge.

Like Glen has said, they are not necessarily a winning proposition as a cheap finisher, especially if you lap one and remove the factory lap on a stone that only cuts fine because of the surface polish on the stone (but otherwise has big particles in it).