Thread: Beginner honing!

Originally Posted by Utopian

I could hone a razor with a hone half that size, but beginners' most common struggle is keeping the blade flat on the hone. Those quarter nortons are going to be a challenge for most people.

I see nothing wrong with them as an option as long as you know going in that they are a very poor compromise.

What is wrong, and what I have posted repeatedly, is the blatant lie put in bold in the listing. They are NOT 50% larger than the average barber hone.

The average size of a barber hone is that of a Swaty, which is 2x5 inches, with an area of 10 square inches. The quarter Norton is 1.5x4 which is 6 square inches. IF he were telling the truth, then the average size of a barber hone would be 4 square inches, not the actual 10 square inches. The average barber hone is NOT 1x4 NOR 2x2 NOR anything close to that.

Years back, Larry was cutting these in half, rather than in quarters. He has not updated the text to reflect the change in some cases, so I wonder if it applies to applies to the 3" x 4" pieces he was selling. But then, it would be 12 sq. inches rather than 10. That's a gain of what, 20%?

You can maintain a good professionally honed edge a long time using a good paddle strop and some chromium oxide on a balsa strop. In the beginning of your SR journey, using a 3” wide leather paddle strop saves you the expense of a high quality hanging strop and allows you to develop good stropping action and muscle memory and spine positioning of the razor without having to worry about correctly tensioning a hanging strop or using an x-stroke or putting a slice into your purchase. A container of CrOx will last you a long time and can restore a deteriorating edge fairly quickly.

Buy a decent barber hone, their cheap and work. Tc

I do believe a nice barber hone is for sale in the b/s/t thread.

You're in the UK, right? Any chance you can get a Charnley Forest at a reasonable price?

When I first started shaving with a straight razor there was no internet. No information on where to purchase a razor, strop, and all the hones used today weren’t available. My wife’s Father and Grandfather were Barbers. They gave me a razor, a strop from the 50s and a Barber Hone. A Barber hone was all either of them had ever used. Today, I use Naniwa Super Stones in 1000, 3000, 5000, 8000, and 12,000. When Straight Razor Designs offered the first strops in English Bridle Leather I ordered the long version. I also use a 3” wide felt strip sprayed with Chromium Oxide. I go from the 12,000 to the felt for ten strokes, then the leather for 50 strokes. If the shave isn’t good I drop back to the 8000 for a few strokes then ten on the 12,000 felt, leather and shave test again.

Legman, maybe you should dig out that barber hone and give it another try, just to see how much or little all those other hones are doing for you.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Legman, maybe you should dig out that barber hone and give it another try, just to see how much or little all those other hones are doing for you.

I have a half dozen Barber Hones I purchased on Ebay back in the day. I actually developed a really nice touch with a Barber Hone (it was all there was). I can take a brand new razor out of the box from the factory and get it really shave ready using only a Barber Hone and a strop. I keep them around. They are great for when your razor just needs a light touch up. I brush on a thin coat of lather and do about 5 strokes then go to the felt woth chromimum oxide and then to the strop for about 50 strokes.

Legman, maybe you can post your reviews of them. That could help others. I know there are a few BH reviews on SRP already.