Questions about my first barber hone
I am hoping for some assistance with my first barber hone. The name is Velvite and I have never heard of it. Having not owned a barbers hone, what do you think of the quality? It is dished on both sides and it is quite literally a little rough around the edges. I am planning on lapping it.
Sorry I'm having problems posting pics:
Velvite Carborundum Sharpening Stone Vintage Bonheur Co Syracuse NY | eBay
First I think I can't go wrong with the purchase. My full cost with shipping was $6.84.
I was thinking of lapping with DMTs up to 600, then use wet/dry Silicon Carbide 1k and 1.2k. It doesn't look like the hones with the brick like interior. Where it's chipped it looks like the same dark brown consistency as the surface (almost black when wet).
My assumption is that being ceramic, it's grit will be whatever it's grit is. Meaning I could polish it with a 30k, but if it's grit is 6k, it'll still be 6k. I figured to polish it up to the 1.2k to get closer to that good barber hone finish.
Once it is not dished any longer I could lap it with my PHIG (if that would be recommended). Then give at least a 100 passes with some of the old worn carbon steel blades that are sitting on my workbench using Smith's Honing Solution just to work it in.
Once it's worked in and I can see a more polished finish I can start testing using real razors and test the outcome.
With the exception of a PHIG my other hones (Suehiro 3k/8k and 2 JNATS) are porous. I wanted to pair this with the PHIG so I can try Oils, honing solutions, etc.
Anything from 6k up would be fantastic. I'm hoping that it will cut faster than my PHIG. The Chinese polishes great, but it is slow going. Currently when I need to touch up an edge I go to the JNAT for a couple of passes then to the strops.
I have always been hesitant to hone a blade in oil on the Chinese, then move to the Japanese using water. I know if I clean the blade well the oil will not get on the JNAT, but I have been overly cautious with them.
This would be for restored blades. Set the bevel on the Suehiro at 3k, next move to this barber hone with oil to get it dialed in. After that I can experiment with the PHIG and oil.
Maybe I'm being too cautious, you tell me. I had been wanting to acquire a barbers hone. So for me it makes sense not to keep changing from oil to water and back during the process. Experiment with oil friendly hones in one progression versus honing on water with more porous hones. Am I being paranoid?
