Thread: Fernsler's Ruby Hone

Found this barber's hone in the wild. Original box, instructions, and near mint hone! Instructions say "For quick cutting results, give a few strokes on bottom of hone, either dry or with lather, finish on top dry".

I can't distinguish between the top and bottom. Both sides appear dull in appearance. Any suggestions here?

I have a 400/1000 grit CKTG lapping plate. I thought about lapping this stone, then another thread indicated this is a bad idea b/c of the composition of the hone. Best to use sandpaper b/c the particulates will clog the lapping plate. Overall the hone is in very good condition, except for some random scratches and surface nicks. So I do need to lap it. Any thoughts on what grit to use?

Finally, I have a Norton 4/8 right now. Research tells me this hone is at least a 10K. So hope I get a keener edge off this....

Anyone have input and experience using this hone? Suggestions are welcome!

Thanks in advance...

Jeff

I never had one. Might like to?
Don't lap it . It may be well-burnished in and be a dream?
Some extol the virtues!

Unless it is damaged I would not run the risk. That particular hone is suppose to be the cats pajamas when it comes to sharp and comfortable edges. Many have found that when they lapped a barbers hone it either crumbled or would not produce the finish it originally had.

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.

You can indentify the coarser side as beeing more dull looking then the finer side....

Lapping the Fernsler i had never issues with it. In the end its up to you to do it or not. One of mine was insanely chipped and there was no other way to go. Nothing happened after lapping it, so i guess it took no damage.

Congratulations Jeff, thank you for sharing. The Fernsler Ruby hone is an excellent and mellow barber hone.
MIke

Originally Posted by MODINE

Congratulations Jeff, thank you for sharing. The Fernsler Ruby hone is an excellent and mellow barber hone.
MIke

Mike, did you experience any issues with lapping/prepping those ?

Hi Sebastian,
Do not lap or alter if not necessary. Care must be taken if you need to try salvage any old hone. This is a brittle light weight 2 sided hone that will break easily. Similar to the Monarch hone or American Hone Company’s Skute hone, whose primary abrasive is 4F Emery.


Mike

I have this ruby red hone. My hone is oval shaped. It works well ! Turn your hone so that the writing is upside down and you have the faster cutting side which is the bottom. You should be able to feel a little difference with you finger in the two sides of the hone . If not give it a bath That little hone will cut slow but give you great feed back back causing the razor to stick slightly to the hone.