Advice request - Want to make sure I don't make a mistake

So I've read all the posts regarding hones. I really one to get one. I'm a total newbie, but I just can't get it out of my head. My main razor needs a touch up and I don't really want to send it out, I want to do it myself. I have recently won a W&B that I'm going to send for new scales, a minor clean up and a hone. That's the reason I want to get a hone for my other razor as it will become my back up or second in my rotation depending on how good it gets.

From the advice I've read I should start with a finishing hone, seeing as I'm a newb. I have the two set of Dovo pastes, red and black for touch ups and it's not getting there any more. I understand this may be the 1D 10T error, but I still want to go to a hone for a starter. Anyways, My question is this, I think I should start with a Chinese Water stone:
Chinese Natural Sharpening Water Stone, 12000 Grit

Would that be better than trying to pickup a barber hone? Most of the barber hones that I've seen going on Ebay right now are ending up almost the same price range anyway so it's not an issue with saving money. The impression I get from the information I've read so far is that it would be better as this would be finer than a barber hone.

Any advice would be gladly appreciated. Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding some of this. Thank you!!

Just to add a little it's been a month that I've been shaving exclusively with the straight razor.

Personally, I'd get a barber hone.

They are literally made specifically for touching up and finishing razors, they are cheaper than that one, and they are more consistent.

When searching for them on ebay, be sure you search for "razor hone" and NOT for "barber hone."


They get called barber hones around here, but they were rarely ever sold as "barber" hones. They were almost always sold as "razor hones" and there are MANY on ebay every day.


Just don't buy a zeepk razor hone......

Thank you Veedub. I just read some of the comments on a similar post that's going on here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/basic...h-up-hone.html

I also appreciate the suggestion to search for razor hone, not barber hone on the bay.

I agree that you'd be better off with a barber hone. I love my C12k as a finisher, but when I have a razor that needs a touchup, I drop down to my Swaty and then re-finish on my C12k. The C12k is, in my opinion, too slow to touch up a blade.

The SRP classifieds and ebay are probably the easiest sources for barber hones. If you decide that you want to go that route, there are plenty of people, including myself, who would be willing to advise you on a particular hone. I'm certainly willing to say "I don't know," if I'm not familiar with a particular hone but among us, it's likely that we can help you pick a good one.
Also, keep in mind that a chip, while decreasing the aesthetics and perceived value of a hone, does not necessarily make it unusable.