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I am just starting out, in no hurry to hone - I intend to send my razor(s) to a member here for honing. But I am curious - for touching up, which I gather is something done every couple months short of full honing, is it recommended that one have a "finishing" stone, and is that what a Norton 8K is? Or would it be more like a 12K?
Try a search for "Touch up hones" in the search box. Just hit enter to get posts on SRP not the web.
An example:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...e-touchup.html
Good shaving!
~Richard
Finishing stones can get pricey. Barbers hones can be had cheaper. Paste on a strop for even less. Some crox on balsa will also refresh an edge.
Sand a block of balsa wood from a craft store flat on 220 grit paper taped to something flat like glass. Draw x's or cover completely with paste and you have a touch up hone
Too many times guys read a thread and go hog wild and acquire the latest and greatest hone and before they know it they have a rock collection they really haven't mastered and probably never will.
Richard is correct, read and learn first. There are so many options out there as far as hones go and other media to use.
Confucius say: Man with many hone have rock collection. Man with few basic hones is master of the honing universe.
Having now read many of those threads on hones, I would say I am even more confused. There seems to be nothing close to a consensus on any hone-related question. It seems that the question of what type of hone (Barber'? 12K? Norton 8K?) is best for basic touch ups shouldn't be so unanswerable. Oh, well...
Ask the guy doing your honing what he recommends and go with it. The rest of us are going to list all possible ways since we all have our opinions and methods.
You best bet is a synthetic 12K Super Stone, if you end up honing you will use it as a finisher. Do not buy a natural hone as there are far too many variables for you right now, though, some naturals can be used very well as finishers and touch up stones.
The most inexpensive route is a barber hone, that can be purchased for 5 buck on up at antique stores and Ebay. Buy a flat, chip free barber hone, name brand really does not matter for a touch up hone.
Your best bet, is find a local mentor, so you can try several options before purchase and more importantly learn to strop, properly.
Proper stropping can keep you shaving very well, for a long, long time depending on your skill.
JT is correct. Barber hones go from about 4K to 16K. A Swaty from Europe is usually about 9K or more. American barber hones were mostly made by American Hone Company in two locations. they made many brand names and differing ingredients for each. Yup, If you buy a known grit "man made" it can be a good thing. Again, How much work will be needed on the razor? A lot, and 8k or less to actually reset the bevel that has been worn by stropping. A Pasted balsa strop is cheapest if a tiny bit of work is needed and may be the best as it won't round over the bevel as much as a pasted hanging strop!
So if some one honed your razors, ask them what and how often.
Good thread!
~Richard
Euclid440, now this I can work with. Thank you very much!
Plus 1 on the Barbers Hone. If you only want to touch up an edge, this is a good way to keep one in good shape for a good long while. It is also small and hand held, can be kept with your razors, and doesn't take up much room. I have many.....Quote:
Originally Posted by JTmke
Great for travel to keep the razor sharp and can be used successfully (with a little practice) in place of a strop. Especially a decent one like an Achonite, Panama, or a good Swatty
Dave
If you're just starting out, meaning learning to strop still, just send the razor to somebody. I've been sending mine to @cudarunner on this site. You don't want too many variables in play at once. I want somebody who KNOWS how to hone while I make sure my stropping is good. I learned early that when I thought I needed to learn honing, I really just needed to learn stropping. I'm up to getting around 3 months of daily shaves from a razor between honing, and that's worth $20. That's my benchmark for when I start honing myself.