Thread: The X-Hones

You also lapped the sides!
Well then it might just be the same as mine.

I wish to report on the smoky hone. As I recall, after having seen it Sham told me he believed it to be a Thuringian. Probably a harder lesser grade. Well I had picked up a new razor last weekend and did the roughing out on fine carborundum which produced a wire edge. I then went to a 1000 King, a BBW and finished with the smoky hone followed by 50 linen (nylon?)/100 leather. This was probably a lesser blade only marked Barbers Special but produced a fine smooth shave. I suspect old smoky will see more use in the future.

Corborundum hones Post by D M Ellington of 5/17/09
Most of the old barbers I have talked to have a corborundum stone. I am curious as to what part these hones have in the process of maintaining or sharpening a razor.

Typical conversation with old barber:

What type of razor do you use - German

What type of strop do you use - Horsehide

What type of hone do you use - Swaty
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Regarding this post of 5/17/09 by D M Ellington: That is exactly what the older barbers used. In 1968, I told my barber I wanted to learn to shave with a str8 and he sold me a Dubl-Duck No 1 Special razor - a No 50 Dubl-Duk horsehide strop + linen back - a three line Swatty barber hone - and a Carborundum Hone which I was told is to be used as a flattening stone - also the carborundum acted as the 4k and the Swatty would act as the 8k if you think in terms of now. My Carborundum is still in the original box and the Swatty is still in the original velvet pouch and plastic bag over the pouch.

One short note of interest.... There are rather pronounced gouges on the side of the Carborundum stone where the last owner/barber rounded off the point of the razor's toe so he wouldn't accidently cut the customer with the toe of the razor. He essentially made a round point out of a square point.


I still use that strop and razor and occasionally I dig the hones out for nostalgic reasons. The more proficient barbers would sharpen razors for other barbers but most of the old barbers I knew back then maintained their own razor's edge.

I hope this answers your question above about the use of Carborundum stones. These are facts I was told many years ago.
JERRY

I bought this lot off eBay:



I am pleased about the barber hones. They are always fun (see? I am having fun). If anyone wants the broken Swaty PM me and I will send it to you for cost of shipping. These were all from a Barber's estate.

The seller was all impressed with the "CRYSTITE" hone (someone fill me in on this one). I was really interested in "Big Yellow" on the left.

I am thinking of something Belgian.

Mystery hone I picked up for $1. It had been used for years at a diesel engine shop for the mechanics to lap valves and such things.

It's a very nice stone to look at in person with purples, pinks, grays and a dark black "eye". It's a large stone at approx 8"x3" and that's after I created two slurry stones by cutting off the ends (a hole had been drilled through each end to mount the hone to a workbench or something).

It gives a very fine polish and a shaving sharp edge. It is a slow polishing stone.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Pyment

I was really interested in "Big Yellow" on the left.

I am thinking of something Belgian.

I really need to get a camera.

after lapping, "big yellow" was more of a butterscotch color. My thoughts turned to Arkansas translucent, but the scratch pattern under 100X was similar to my other finishing hones. I had a pretty smooth shave off it this AM.

Originally Posted by Pyment

I really need to get a camera.

after lapping, "big yellow" was more of a butterscotch color. My thoughts turned to Arkansas translucent, but the scratch pattern under 100X was similar to my other finishing hones. I had a pretty smooth shave off it this AM.

Looks like a fun hone, no matter what it is. Could you give us a side view or any chips or breaks...helps identify...

Thanks,

Mac

I also have a stone like the first one Olivia shows.

It was so nasty with oil and steel it was gray. I think it could be an India stone, I don't know though as it seems to be too fine.

Why do you think it is not a coticule. It has the right color flesh, the right color milk, the chips on the edge do not have that hard glassy flake of novaculite and similar stone. It sorta acts like a coticule but honestly I have not used it in serious manner.

Originally Posted by McWolf1969

Looks like a fun hone, no matter what it is. Could you give us a side view or any chips or breaks...helps identify...

Thanks,

Mac

It seems to be pretty uniform throughout. I was going to only lap the top, But Maybe I will lap a side so I will have a wider and a narrower surface to work with. I will post a cell phone pic also.

Kevint, if you were referring to my stone, it just doesn't have that nice coticule grain and doesn't feel like one.

Its too hard for a coticule.
Just tried to raise some slurry, but to no avail.
You get the slurry of the bout but the hone gives nothing off.
Works well to use it with coti slurry though.