Quote Originally Posted by Utopian View Post
Gasman, trust me I frequently am wrong and like everyone else I'm still learning.

That said, I really wish more people would learn how to hone at first with just a barber hone. They are relatively cheap and can produce a perfectly good shave. If you cannot get a good shave off a hone like a Swaty, then more expensive hones will not make you a better honer.
Mind sharing some more advice on maintaining with barber hones? Do you really need one of the best ones (Swaty, Carborundum) or the less famous ones work too?

I have two (a De-Fi and an anonymous Aloxite). Both weren't flat, so I've lapped one up to 400 grit SiC. The other one is a work in progress.