Thread: White "Apart" hone

No, really many barber hones are documented as having an approximate rating. Do a search here! Even then, it is in the eye of the beholder/ user.
I think the things are great as one can come to know them. I used them for a long time and still would! The good ones are of a fine grit. Seemingly esp the fine side of a two-sided one. Have to experiment in-hand to see.

This is only from what I have heard, but the scuttlebutt is that the 2 line swaty is about 8k, the apart I have heard between 10k to 15k so a decent finisher. I have a "normal" color reddish apart hone and I can verify it improves an 8k edge.

I don't use barber hones but I heard that lapping those flat could be a bad idea, don't realy know how or why, just thought you should know

Lapping them is definitely a large chore and unless there is a perfectly good reason for it, it should be avoided. Unlike a regular hone a barber hone is progresses quite high in grit when lapping, along with being very hard, it takes a while. If not finished to a high enough grit they will not achieve their potential.

I lap all(almost all) of my barber hones. I have bought a few on eBay that look as if they are deteriorating. Swelling, delaminating as I would hone with them, I wouldn't try lapping them either.

Barber hones, in general, range between about 3K ( Champion) and 15k+. So any hone you buy is going to have to be checked, by you, to determine its exact grit range. I prefer to use a barber hone dry as the barber would the one from the pocket of his shop coat. A hone may finish differently used dry, or wet, or slurried.

Also, these were made in a really primitive factory, which made the quality of hones somewhat different according to the batch and day of the week, and hangovers. They used buckets and freight scales and a very primitive drum mixer to form each batch, heat was used and that amount, made a difference also.

Do not get me wrong, they did a great job overall and I use a good one often. I have used a Swaty for 40+ years for carving tools and knives also.
~Richard

Originally Posted by RezDog

Lapping them is definitely a large chore and unless there is a perfectly good reason for it, it should be avoided. Unlike a regular hone a barber hone is progresses quite high in grit when lapping, along with being very hard, it takes a while. If not finished to a high enough grit they will not achieve their potential.

I understand the "preparing a barber hone" thread over at R&S, I *should* lap it properly... basically, follow the procedure to get the most out of the stone. That was my plan. To be clear, is that what you are saying also?

Not meaning to be dense. but I am

more or less. it should be done with regard to the procedure you read, but if it is in pristine condition I doubt I would go through the process at all.

I have the apart hone and have the same experience that the Razor and Stone test produced. I have used it as a finisher after Norton 8k and after 1um film. It can smooth out a film edge nicely.

I have also used mine as maintainince. It's a great hone and very easy to use. I have not over honed on it like other barber hones.

Great score