Thread: ruby hone, what is it worth and can I use it?

ruby hone, what is it worth and can I use it?
I have this ruby hone, I haven't found much info on it.
anybody have any idea what it's worth, if it is usable, and what sort of grit it would compare to?

It’s a touchup hone to keep an already sharpened razor keen (will not restore a very dull razor) it’s the next thing to have after a strop for light razor maintenance.
That Ruby hone is just like the famous Swaty hone at about 12K and this one looks to be in good condition, though it may need lapping.
They show up on eBay now and again and sell for around $20.

Maybe others can share more info
Hope this helps

I can confirm that. I just won a NIB Ruby Razor Hone in an ebay auction for $19.

A question about the pits in the surface, are they acceptable or would you want it smoothed out? I see pitted hones now and again and I pass them by thinking they are not useable for straights.

I used a pitted and scratched hone on a razor with a broken tip once. It could have been me or maybe I didn't see the other nicks in the blade but they certainly became visible and/or deepened after using the hone.

Pits on a barber hone are debatable… Some say the pits don’t affect the edge and still some say the pits help to sheer away any wire that may develop on the edge… as a matter of fact there are a few brands of barber hone with holes cut into the surface, and it is clamed the holes will remove wire from the edge… brand names like “Wireless hone” and “Perforated Razor Hone” comes to mind.

I personally like my hone smooth (unless it was meant to have holes) and lap them out when I can.

In any case most of those old barber hones were sitting in some attic or basement and may get bounced around for many years before ending up in your hands so it would be a good idea to lap them before first use.

Life is like a barber hone: you can't let the pits halt your progress

Originally Posted by Vekta

I used a pitted and scratched hone on a razor with a broken tip once. It could have been me or maybe I didn't see the other nicks in the blade but they certainly became visible and/or deepened after using the hone.

I had similar trouble with a pitted hone. Be safe, lap your ruby!

You should be on the safe side and lap it. Unfortunately lapping barber's hones can take a while, but they're very nice little hones to have when you want to touch up a razor in a few passes and shave. I love my Swaty hone!

You COULD probably use the hone with the pitting, I've seen it done, just as long as the razor doesn't feel the pits on the strokes. Still the hone should be flattened.

I don't worry about small pits as long as the razor doesn't hang on them. After lapping it flat, remember to soften any of the hone's sharp edges; to help avoid micro-chipping.

Larger/recurring pits or a crumbling binder might mean some type of chemical damage. Those I don't use.