Thread: Fernsler's Ruby Hone

What these fine gentlemen are saying is true. You could destroy it from lapping. Unless these scratches are insanely deep you do not need to lap it. Barber hones cut so finely because of the way there surface is, much like an Arkansas stone. Lapping would destroy that fine surface and put scratches in it making it perform like it's true low grit should perform.

Don't buy into the grit rating on barber hones think in terms of close comfortable and irritation free not grit level JIS. A lot of b hone reviews are greatly over exaggerated. I had a norton barber hone once and it was overrated by sham and the boys at r&s which I'm assuming is where you read that the ruby hone is 10k.

It will either improve the edge or it won't. Grit out of the equation.

In the end it's up to you and if you have to lap it take it up very high in grit. I would even use the 8k side of the norton to make sure she's reflecting light. You want a glassy surface.

My 2c.

Looks like it could be a good hone. I pay attention to threads like these because I have several barber hones that I wonder about lapping too. I haven't gotten around to posting them though. I have not lapped them yet because of all I read about lapping is bad for them, and I have no reason to doubt that's true.