Thread: Identifying an Old Hone

I was given an old straight razor hone by my father. How can I tell what the grit it is? Even on e-bay, they list an old barber hone, but no grit?

Is it what we refer to as a 'barber hone' ? A ceramic with a logo generally embedded in it ? If you post a photo someone may recognize what it is that you have. One way or the other trying it is the best way to judge what it is that you have.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Is it what we refer to as a 'barber hone' ? A ceramic with a logo generally embedded in it ? If you post a photo someone may recognize what it is that you have. One way or the other trying it is the best way to judge what it is that you have.

Yes it is exactly that. Would that be a good touch up hone?

Originally Posted by Alembic

Yes it is exactly that. Would that be a good touch up hone?

It probably would be. Depends on which one and the condition. Take some comet cleanser and a scrub brush and wash it down and try it if you have a razor that could use a touch up.

Do a first pass shave and if the razor could use it 4 round trips with the weight of the blade and do a second pass. You'll have to play around with the hone to see what it will do. Anymore I don't lap barber hones right off the bat.

I fool with them as is and see if they work without lapping. I figure that the barbers didn't lap them and it may be detrimental to the surface. I don't know about this but Spyderco says that lapping their ceramic hones is a no no so that is where I got the idea. Anyway, give it a try ..... that is all you can do regardless of what you read here or there.

Thanks Jimmy. I have a lot of razors that I could test on.

I really appreciate the lapping information. That is good stuff. When I get this cleaned, I'll post some pics and data on it.

Again, many thanks.

David