Thread: Testing "Apart" Barber Hone

This is what mine looks like.
It also leaves the edge white/grey with fine even scratches. I can not say that it gives me a great finished edge. But that may be my ability to use it.
Ray T

I wouldn't be too alarmed about there being different looking hones sold under the same name. Don't forget some of these were made in multiple versions over quite a few years, so it's not uncommon for them to look completely different even if they share the same name - look at all the different Swaty hones for instance.

Very interesting! I also have an Apart BH and one branded Capital, they look identical except for the imprinted name of course. I'll have to get them out and experiment a little!
Cam

Experimented a bit with my new Apart hone yesterday.

I used a T. Hessen Bruch semi-hollow that I'd used to the point of it pulling and causing irritation.

I did a first shave with it where I'd only honed dry on the hone (I think 8-10 laps) and then shaved the next morning (don't think I even stropped after honing). It was OK, but not quite as smooth as I liked. It's possible I simply didn't do enough laps given where the razor started.

Second shave, I did a few laps on the hone, then used a paddle strop with just a couple of laps on iron oxide and then a few laps on leather. Shave today was outstanding and extremely smooth and I got a second/third pass without a problem.

Tomorrow I'm thinking I'll hone with a bit of lather and see how it feels. I'm hopeful that will be equivalent to the IronOx paste and leather (or at least not degrade where the edge is right now), but we'll see.

At the moment a Lakeside I found is my favorite touch-up hone, but this feels awful close. I think I'll be a little less worried about limiting the number of laps as I think the first shave with it didn't have enough passes to refresh the blade.. at least that's my guess.

For a novice like me who has no apparent honing ability, these barbers hones are a god-send!

Apart hones are great. I've got a few of them. However, I have yet to find a Lakeside hone. Someone screwed up and declared them to be of high quality before I found one.

On 5.2.14 in this thread I said I would try to post some pictures "tomorrow". Tomorrow never came so I am going to just go ahead and post some pictures anyway. You'll see that one of the hones is identical to the others but labeled "Capitol". I agree these are very close to the near mythical status Lakeside barber hones.

I won an Apart BH at the Denver Meet. Hoping to give it a go some day soon. Glad someone brought up this thread as i wanted to look into this. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Apart hones are great. I've got a few of them. However, I have yet to find a Lakeside hone. Someone screwed up and declared them to be of high quality before I found one.

I just got lucky a bit after Thanksgiving when I think people were distracted by the holidays. A guy on the 'bay put up a lot of hones with that one and two other very nice ones that I haven't had the time to really get to know either. Only time I've seen one

Originally Posted by Gasman

I won an Apart BH at the Denver Meet. Hoping to give it a go some day soon. Glad someone brought up this thread as i wanted to look into this. Thanks.

I am familiar with that exact BH. A few light strokes with water or lather is all you need. I'll quote Modine who has forgotten more about barber hones than I will ever know: "Conclusion: Due to the high quality of the APART Barber hone from Marburg Austria identical “high temper” American steel razors were tested. The 8K razors edge was significantly improved off the Apart. The approx. 15K edge was maintained. This is a medium fast cutting, effective synthetic hone that leaves uniform “fine” abrasion patterns. It will easily refresh an edge to the 15K level without deforming or degrading the edge after 8 to 16 passes.
In addition 8 passes were made on the 00 Frictionite hone with prepared edges and visually inspected. Then 8 passes were made on the APART Barber hone and were inspected. The APART hone is a slower cutter than the 00 Frictionite however the abrasion patterns and the keen precise edge were identical to the 00 Frictionite hone."

Originally Posted by Lazarus

I am familiar with that exact BH. A few light strokes with water or lather is all you need. I'll quote Modine who has forgotten more about barber hones than I will ever know: "Conclusion: Due to the high quality of the APART Barber hone from Marburg Austria identical “high temper” American steel razors were tested. The 8K razors edge was significantly improved off the Apart. The approx. 15K edge was maintained. This is a medium fast cutting, effective synthetic hone that leaves uniform “fine” abrasion patterns. It will easily refresh an edge to the 15K level without deforming or degrading the edge after 8 to 16 passes.
In addition 8 passes were made on the 00 Frictionite hone with prepared edges and visually inspected. Then 8 passes were made on the APART Barber hone and were inspected. The APART hone is a slower cutter than the 00 Frictionite however the abrasion patterns and the keen precise edge were identical to the 00 Frictionite hone."

Thanks For the hints. BTW everyone, this is the fine gentleman that offered up the Apart BH for the giveaway and I was the lucky one to win it.