Thread: I have never honed a razor ... yet

LOL
Simple, as Eculid said, one layer of tape has never harmed a razor No tape has harmed millions
Use tape until you are leaving no wear on the tape than do whatever you want

Also before somebody says "If you use tape you must keep using tape" watch this vid of me being a complete smart ass because I was sick of people saying things without ever trying it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMchDtXzUO4&t=9s

Multiple layers of tape are only needed AFTER some ham-handed gorilla has destroyed the spine

Hone On!!!

Originally Posted by DZEC

A barber hone was used by barbers to touch up a razor that was starting to pull. They often carried one in their pocket and, with some shaving lather to lubricate the hone, ran the blade lightly over it a few times to refresh the edge.

There are members here who ,when they first started out, kept a straight razor going for quite a while using only a strop and a barber hone.

Bit late, but figured I'd chime in anyway. I've got a Dovo that's seen nothing but touch ups on a 3 line Swaty and linen/leather strop for going on 3 years now. They're a working man's hone and it shows in their performance. Most won't produce the finest shave known to man kind (though I do have a few that are finer and less aggressive than the Swaty), but at minimum they should bring your edge from kinda dull and tuggy to capable of a close, clean, and comfortable shave in 5 to 10 strokes when used precisely as DZEC indicated.

The fact that they're small form factor, quick, and good enough for government work is what's drawn me to them. If a razor doesn't shave to my (low) expectation, instead of setting it aside and picking out another blade to strop, or pausing in the middle of a shave and heading into the other room to break out the honing set, I snatch the barber hone out of the cabinet, lather it up, touch up the blade, and finish my shave maybe 45 seconds to a minute slower than I otherwise might have. I don't have the time so sit down with my hone sets and chase the perfect edge for hours like I once did. Barber hones cut the maintenance time down to the point that I can still use and enjoy straights, otherwise I'd back to disposables or safety razors just due to time constraints.

I've used my 3 line Swatty as a finishing stone, in a honing progression. The results were better than anticipated, though it got a heap of leather put to it.

Reminiscent of a Ark, finisher. Quite, keen. Well polished stria. JMHO

About a month after I started with a straight my brand new Dovo Astrale started to pull and needed to be sharpened, my stropping skills at the time probably didn't help.

I bought the razor from a well known here and respected company and it had been honed and shave ready before I received it. My new razor also came with a coupon for a free re-hone when needed.

I mentioned here at the time that I thought I would have to send my razor out and DZEC kindly sent me a barbers hone.

I do understand NOW that they are quite low grit and pretty fierce but ignorance is bliss.

I watched a video about Barbers Hones by gssixgun, lathered up the hone and did six weight of the razor x-stroke laps. I didn't tape the spine because I forgot.

I never did send that razor out, it was shaving great again (in my very limited experience at the time). I haven't used it since because I have hones now and although I am not suggesting every new shaver rush out and get a barbers Hone, in fact I would suggest a new shaver should think very carefully before deciding to get one but it did save me having to send my razor out and I certainly didn't hurt it.

I can definitely understand that a person could damage their razor quite easily on a Barbers Hone without doing some research and being VERY cautious.

Now I can shave and hone (well enough to suit me anyway) my Barbers hone is something I don't use but definitely would pack if I were to travel for long enough to need to think about maintaining my edge while I was away.