Quote Originally Posted by thebigspendur View Post
This topic comes up alot.

You have to remember in the old days when most used a straight getting service was not like it is now. Not only could you go to a barber but you had these itinerant peddler types who always came around and they could do it and there were typical hardware stores and cutlery stores and in those days those guys knew what they were doing. Also shaving supply shops could do it also. Actually there were all kinds of places to go to to get your razors well honed.

I know my Grandfather used a straight and he had an old hone. Hones were cheap and easy to come by in those days it was just a matter of how well the average guy could use one. Most in the old days weren't like us here. As long as they got a decent relatively comfortable shave they were satisfied.

As far as pasted strops go I think that's a relatively new concept but I could be wrong.
That was my understanding, that a lot of shops used "peddlers", who made their rounds of the barbershops, and honed like lightning. I thought most barbers only touched up between visits. It's worth noting, though, that Popeye's barber kept a big beautiful hone out on the counter.