Thread: Should I hone or pay to hone? A noobs question...

Originally Posted by ChristGuard

I am in Cedar Rapids Iowa

I live in Rochester, MN but still go to Iowa City occasionally, so I drive through Cedar Rapids. Within the next week or so, I'm going to be meeting up with a new member in Iowa City to help him with honing. If you are interested, just let me know and I will try to arrange it with the other member.

We can hone up your razor and you can try out a few options for maintaining it.

Originally Posted by zib

When I hone razors for guys just starting out, I always recommend they get a Barber's hone for quick touch ups. There's many out there, but I like Swaty. It'll help out big time in between honings.

What about using a Naniwa 12k for touch-ups or some similar stone instead of a barbers hone? Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm not even a beginner in regards to honing), but don't barbers hone's take more metal off than a finishing stone or a coti for refreshing?

A couple of things come to mind. At shaving once a week it will take almost two years to get 100 shaves in. I think that the barbers hone is most often recommended for ease of use combined with low cost set up. Perhaps if the extrapolation was on a per stroke basis there may be some grand wear difference but four to six passes once or twice a year in this case is not going to make any difference.

Originally Posted by Phrank

What about using a Naniwa 12k for touch-ups or some similar stone instead of a barbers hone? Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm not even a beginner in regards to honing), but don't barbers hone's take more metal off than a finishing stone or a coti for refreshing?

A good three line Swaty from Austria ( be Wien ) is maybe $30+ on a good day or less.
A 12k man made is a whole order of magnitude higher.
~Richard
Now let me say that a poor barber hone like a Champion is a disaster!

Thanks Geezer and RezDog - so I guess I've got a couple of years before I need to go to any stone! haha

So the closest I'll get is some crox paste then next year then...

Phrank with the size of your rotation you should be good for a long long time!

Originally Posted by RezDog

Phrank with the size of your rotation you should be good for a long long time!

Hey - I counted, I'm razor poor compared to most of the members here, I'm topping off at 25 razors, plus one Gillette DE. Ohhh and a Parker Shavette, which doesn't count in my opinon!!

Originally Posted by zib

When I hone razors for guys just starting out, I always recommend they get a Barber's hone for quick touch ups. There's many out there, but I like Swaty. It'll help out big time in between honings.

+1 for the Barbers hone.
Using one is not difficult and the results are fine.
The cost of a barber's hone is right around the cost of some who hone when you factor in mailing.
They are very available here on the classifieds and also on eBay...some can be found on Craigslist from time to time
IMHO.....

Originally Posted by Phrank

Hey - I counted, I'm razor poor compared to most of the members here, I'm topping off at 25 razors, plus one Gillette DE. Ohhh and a Parker Shavette, which doesn't count in my opinon!!

If you're razor poor with 25, than I'm downright indigent with my 4.
PLUS, I've seen some of your razors Phrank....poor???
Let's just say you are a man of humility....

Originally Posted by ColonelG

If you're razor poor with 25, than I'm downright indigent with my 4.
PLUS, I've seen some of your razors Phrank....poor???
Let's just say you are a man of humility....

......

Colonel...horns and thunder! I'm glad the Windex and paper towels are beside my computer...