Thread: Three line Swaty

There used to be, and probably still are, instructions for use in the SRP library help files, maybe in images. Not all Swatys are alike, but some, if not most are sharpen on one side, finish on the other. To the eye and hand, IME, you cannot tell them apart.

I read that the side with the writing was the finishing side and the back was the sharpening side. They look the same to me.

Originally Posted by Wid

I read that the side with the writing was the finishing side and the back was the sharpening side. They look the same to me.

They do look the same. In the mid 1980s a 70 year old barber, who had been at it 50 years, told me that the 3 line Swatys were the best ...... as opposed to the 2 line. He meant the one like you have. I got one from him just like it. The American Hone Co made a barber hone with "The Three Line Swaty" embossed on the one side. I believe they did that to capitalize on the popularity of that hone. Not the same as the 'real' 3 line Swaty you have there though.

Just put a razor to it. We'll see how it goes tomorrow with the shave. I did HHT and it was surprisingly good.

I love mine. Im sure you will feel the same about yours.

We need Modine to weigh in on this hone. He seems to have a secure handle on the barber hones and their care and use.

I've got an identical Swaty like yours... mine's even complete with a chip on the back as well! For fun, I've taken one of my razors and solely using the swaty with it when it needs a touchup to see how long I can keep it going with just the swaty. The razor was shave ready last March, and I use that particular razor once per week. Every 6-8 shaves it needs a little touchup on the swaty... and I limit it to six X strokes.

Being that I shave with it weekly, that means I've got approximately 36 shaves with that blade so far. Not a lot, but by using the swaty in this fashion, it still shaves as if it were honed just yesterday. Obviously, I'm pretty impressed with this little hone. Who knows, maybe I'll get a couple years before I need to take that razor back to a full honing.

Have fun with it.

I had that similar hone in my tool box for many years before I started straight shaving. It was a wonder for tools. There are at least two European 3 line Swaty's tht I am aware of. Depending of the the national boundary lines at the time. Marborg Austria was the other one I have and a couple that were slightly different in form factor/size. The folks that made Swaty's came to this country and continued manufacture for a few years at Olean NY. and re-organized as American Hone Company before the move to Iowa.
Love it and use it!
~Richard

I knew I had 2 of these but only one is the 3-line. They just sit in a box.. Nice to see other people like hones as well. Not many people in my area or any of my friends like them.

Originally Posted by Mikeinri

I knew I had 2 of these but only one is the 3-line. They just sit in a box.. Nice to see other people like hones as well. Not many people in my area or any of my friends like them.

If a guy justs wants a barber hone, he can't do better than Swaty and a 3 line is no better than a Marburg 2 line. If all it is for is to hone razors one is as good as the other, if you are a hone collector, than you need both.