Thread: Barber hones characteristics

My Simmons Hardware Keen Kutter Kombination barber hone.

Originally Posted by m0isty

I have one of those Aloxite 200 hones, mine feels coarse and gritty. I was wondering if this is normal for these, or if the binder has broken down and allowing the grit to be released.

Originally Posted by Utopian

No, that is not normal. The Aloxite hone was similar in composition to the Sways. They are excellent hones. Without photos, I cannot speculate as to whether or not the hone is degrading, but if it is coarse, then you have nothing to lose by lapping it. Normally, I am loathe to lap a barber hone but you might as well lap this one as it might restore the surface.

I too have a dual-grit Aloxite 200 that feels rough. These barber hones are supposed to feel super-smooth, right?

At my disposal I have a DMT D8C, 600 and 1200 grit wet/dry paper, and a flat,lapped and smooth carborundum on the back of a Cotcarb. Will those lap a barber hone? I'll try it, but if it's pointless then I'll look for another solution.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

I too have a dual-grit Aloxite 200 that feels rough. These barber hones are supposed to feel super-smooth, right?

At my disposal I have a DMT D8C, 600 and 1200 grit wet/dry paper, and a flat,lapped and smooth carborundum on the back of a Cotcarb. Will those lap a barber hone? I'll try it, but if it's pointless then I'll look for another solution.

No they don't have to be feel super - smooth. Some will feel super-smooth.
example dubl duck wont feel super - smooth but cmon will.
D8C SHOULD BE fine enough.
i very rare lap except escher to 1k level.
325 or 600 just fine. hope this helps

I have two Carborundum 200 Aloxites, and both of them are smooth and similar in texture to Swatys. Perhaps I am wrong in my presumption of that being "normal" for them.

Regardless, you might find that there is sometimes little correlation between how smooth a hone feels and how smoothly it cuts and polishes a razor. MarkinLondon, you mentioned that yours feels coarse but did not mention how it performs on a razor. Have you tried it?

Originally Posted by Utopian

No, that is not normal. The Aloxite hone was similar in composition to the Sways. They are excellent hones. Without photos, I cannot speculate as to whether or not the hone is degrading, but if it is coarse, then you have nothing to lose by lapping it. Normally, I am loathe to lap a barber hone but you might as well lap this one as it might restore the surface.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I have two Carborundum 200 Aloxites, and both of them are smooth and similar in texture to Swatys. Perhaps I am wrong in my presumption of that being "normal" for them.

Regardless, you might find that there is sometimes little correlation between how smooth a hone feels and how smoothly it cuts and polishes a razor. MarkinLondon, you mentioned that yours feels coarse but did not mention how it performs on a razor. Have you tried it?

No I haven't tried it. I only know it's rough because I was told so. It was delivered to my GF's house, and I'll see it later this week. But I was told it felt rough, much rougher than the BBW I have sitting in the kitchen. I just figured that if a Barber Hone was of such a high grit, it should feel smooth like a natural.

Frankly, if it's as rough as she describes it, i wouldn't even try testing it. I'd just try lapping it.

Is there any place where the approximate comparisons of barber hones with some of the more popular known stones exists?

For example, I have the "Winner" Combination Barber hone. I have seen a couple posts suggesting this is approximately comparble to the Norton 4/8k combo hone.

I know this is not an exact science, but looking at a pile of barber hones in my basement-Winner combo, Reliance Combo, Dubl-Duck combo, Keen Cutter combo, Pike Swaty, SR Droescher...I'd kind of like to have an idea how to range these from coarsest to finest.

Any of you honologists (honographers?) out there able to offer some guidance?

I believe that this thread was begun with exactly that intent in mind.

Originally Posted by tat2Ralfy

My latest arrival, if anyone (Sham?) knows anything about these please could you let me know? I tried it earlier to correct a frowning blade and with lather the coarse side worked a treat, but for the life of me I cant get the edge to cut arm hair.
Thanks for looking guys.

Superficially, this looks exactly like combination hones branded for Dubl Duck, Tonsorial Gem, and Reliance. Coloration is identical as is the typography of the label indicating which surface to use first. I don't know if they actually are identical, but likely different companies used the same manufacturer. I find even the instructions are identical with some of these.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I believe that this thread was begun with exactly that intent in mind.

Ah, so maybe we are almost ready for some kind of summary or rough equivalences?

I need to take more pics of hones...

I looked through here and only found one not quite exact example..

FWIW you guys are paying premium money, for a extra line of text on the "Swaty" hones...

A genuine "Three Line Swaty" says that on the hone, much like Kee's hone is marked that way, only it is a Genuine Austrian Swaty...

You can feel a distinct difference in how it laps and cuts, it is a much finer hone than the Three lines of text or the Two lines of text hones which I have found no difference between those ...
Keep in mind these are all from Austria stamped Franz Swaty, I am not comparing the later Pike or SRD Swaty's in this...


This is of course JMHO on what I have seen, lapped, and honed, on...
All Swaty's have worked just fine, but I think the "Three Line" is refering to a specific hone, not the amount of text....