What do you feel is the smallest stone you could use on an average size straight razor
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What do you feel is the smallest stone you could use on an average size straight razor
I have one that is about 1" by 2".
Aaron, are you looking for a "name that tune" type of contest or did you have a particular size of hone in mind?
I will say that an experienced honer, who is better capable of keeping the blade flat on the hone, can use one much smaller than an inexperienced honer.
It was a pure curiosity question. I know that when dealing with knives it is recommended that your stone be at least as long as your blade but because razors are honed differently I was curious if there was a different rule.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
No real rules as such, though there are a few threads about quartons (quarter nortons) that someone was selling. I think the consensus was that they were not that useful.
Not so much here, but other places google searches have led me, I've seen posts from people that actually prefer something smaller. Like the quarton. Something that will fit in the palm of their hand, that they can hold while they hone. I didn't get it at first, but after I obtained a barber hone I kinda 'saw the light.' I still prefer a full size bench hone, but a 5 or 6x2 hone is fine by me these days.
Oh sorry. I thought this was a discussion about Kidney Stones.
Actually some folks like a nice small stone for honing. One that will easily fit in the palm of the hand is all you need.
Personally I like em big.
One of my favorite coticules is a 'La Veinette' natural combination stone that measures in at just under 2" x 4". The last razor I finished on this was a 15/16" Filarmónica Sub-Cero, a snug fit but no problem to hone.
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In that case, I prefer them to be quite small.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
:)
In the case of honing, most barber hones are 2"x5." One of my favorite barber hones is the Carborundum 102, which is 1.5"x4." There are a lot of boxed Thuringian hones that are 1"x 4 or 5."
My 100+ year old coticule is 1-1/2" by 6-1/4". The layer of coticule is 5/8" thick. I lap the thing once every couple years and use it for a finisher.
I was never able to get hooked on my 102. I tried though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
It was easy for me. The first 5 years I used a straight razor I only had a Swaty and a Carbo 102. I was quite lucky to happen upon two of the best barber hones to use for my first hones.Quote:
Originally Posted by aaron1234
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d88873cf43.jpg I have a translucent Arkansas like that it was a freebie out of a lot and personality I don't think there's any point to mine. It doesn't make a good slurry stone and it's probably a bit pointless for fish hooks.Quote:
Originally Posted by bouschie
4x1 is about as small as I care to go. Here's a video honing on a 4x 1 1/4 coticule. I use it as a travel stone
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dCtfSAMvuaY
I have a small coticule, 23x101 mm (a bit under 1"x4"). I have honed a few razors on it (full honing), and found it a doable challenge, if you will. I used to have a 5x20 cm coticule, but sold it as I found it uncomfortably large - too long and too heavy. I have come to prefer thinner hones.
I love small stones. At first, the only reason I got the smaller stones was because I couldn't afford the big ones. Ha! But I have grown to really like small stones, and like the Spender said, they are very nice to hold in a flat hand while honing. I find I have more control using the smaller stones this way. Here's my collection of small stones, not including my Barber hones. The bottom right 3 stones are my favorites and are all 1"x5". My "Magic" Coticule that is very fine, a yellow/green combination Thuringian, and a dark blue Thuringian that is finer than the yellow/green. I've used the dark blue Thuri on the last 7 razors I've honed and the edges I've been getting off of it have been incredible.
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Nice coti sqzbxr but I have to ask, by any chance is that ruler a Stanley #32 1/2 ?Quote:
Originally Posted by sqzbxr
I have one just like that. It is a good hone.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dcaddo1
No, it's a 32 - what is the difference between the two?Quote:
Originally Posted by Benz
Here is my smallest hone and my largest razor.
😬
Attachment 224040
in case of emergency: my two travel hones with their tomo naguras. they work but aren't that much fun to use.
hans
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I would have to see a complete pic of yours partially unfolded to see the difference. Mine has four segments that fold up.Quote:
Originally Posted by sqzbxr
It kind of blew my mind to see yours with a straight razor because I got mine with some stuff of my Grandfather's, including his Lakeside Cutlery Army/Navy straight razor and his barber hone.
Now I might put his Stanley 32 1/2 in my razor cabinet.:)
BTW the smallest are the worst: they get trapped in the ureter causing colics
My travel kit, a coti bout and worn out dmt mini. Hey, it works and for about the cost of a Happy Meal !
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Sometimes great things come in small packages.
Mike
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Beautiful stones. Are some of them arkansas stones.Quote:
Originally Posted by MODINE
Here are some interesting small hones, the top row are about 100mm/4" long. Left to right, top row: A pretty Hatanaka iro, colored with deep kiita, green, blue, and rose, very hard and fine, and very, very fast, maybe the fastest stone I have. Half length strokes are fine if the stone cuts twice as fast! Next, a green/mizu asagi, also hard, fine, and fast, but not quite as fast as the Hatanaka. The smallest is a Narutaki iro with a piece of King 1k glued to the back. Good traveler stone. Far right, a small but richly colored kiita, also a good traveler. Below is a piece of old style kiita, more of a light chocolate than yellow. The back side, and most of the hone is almost an identical color to a yellow-green Thuringian. One reason you'd use such a stone is that the quality is equal to the very best stones I have, the Hatahoshi and Hatanaka bench stones costing ten or more times as much.
Cheers, Steve
No sir, these are European sourced stones. I would not recommend for persons starting out to obtain such stones.Quote:
Originally Posted by aaron1234
