Thread: Barber Hone Information

Hey Everyone, hoping to find more information on the following hone. Any idea grit? Can I lap it safely? Is it a good one? Rare or valuable?

It has a couple nicks in the stone and I wanted to lap them out. Very minor though.

Also any thoughts for trying to preserve the paper logo underneath from getting wet while using? Any tricks other than the obvious I mean.

Thanks,
Tim.

First off, hello my fellow wisconsinite!

Grit levels can be a little difficult to determine. Best to use it and see where it should go in your honing process.

Lapping I have heard mixed results from "just lap it" to "just use it and enjoy it."

Value is greatly in the eye of the beholder and not allowed on the site. I know that this company moved from Olean at some point in there history, so this is an older hone in their production. Rare? Maybe, because I haven't seen one in this style before. Someone with a better background will chime in.

To save the paper on the bottom, if you are going to use this hone extensively, is typically easiest to gently remove it and save it in an envelope in a place where you won't forget it. A couple members have lost their labels over the years, heh (you guys know who you are).

I'm actually in Waukesha as well. Small world huh...

Thanks for info.

Hah! small world indeed! and you're very welcome

American hone co. made hones for a lot of different companies over the years. some people also save labels by sealing them with lacquer or other such finish. seems easier than trying to remove one that big. JMHO should be someone who knows more about this particular one.

My recommendation as far as lapping goes is - don't. When it comes to barber hones, they could very well end up worthless after lapping. Some only have a very thin layer containing cutting material, some binders may not be as hard inside as they are on the surface, and the rest are actually made with about 600 grit cutting material that's been ground down nearly level with the surface. If you expose too much of that grit without working it back down properly you could very well turn a good 8K finishing hone into a 600 grit paper weight.

With a hone in condition that good - use it first. See where it fits in your progression. If it works, you're far better off not taking the risk of lapping the hone.