Help me pick a hone

I own only 2 st8 razors. Do not plan on purchasing more. I am not a collector either nor do I plan on restoring anything other than keep my blade sharp. One is expensive, the other one is a cheap new DOVO. I plan on learning how to hone using the cheaper one of course. I do not own nor have any access to a workshop. I do not shave daily. Maybe once every 2-4 days. My beard isn't barbed wire strong either. I live in an apartment so not many tools around the house. I do like the idea of learning how to sharp/hone myself thus the reason I am making this inquiry. I could pick a honemeister (sp.) and have him hone it 3-4 times per year, but since I only own 2 razors and am not very patient when it comes to waiting for an item to be sent back to me, this is out of the question. From my brief research I'm thinking of going with a fine / extra fine coarse sharpening tool. The idea of lapping (I prefer to use flattening) water stones sounds like a turn off for me so that's a big hell no. Obviously ALL water stones need flattening regardless of brand and the only hone available which seems more friendly to me is the DMT. Input/suggestions/advice please :) thanks.

I would suggest either a barber hone or the SRD modular paddle. If your razor needs serious honing send it to a honemeister and maintain with one of the fore mentioned items.

P.S. That is not me in the avatar btw :nono:

Thank Jimmy :) could you PM me with a link on where I could purchase such a thing if it's not too much to ask? Got work in a bit I'll check PM later. TY

you can find good barber hones pretty cheap on ebay!

You definitely sound like a candidate for a barber hone. I own many hones, ranging widely in grits, and they serve a variety of purposes. I also play with, and experiment with, many barber hones. They all serve only one purpose, and that is to maintain an already sharp razor.

IF you start with a well honed razor, a barber hone can be used to maintain your razors indefinitely. You sounded like you want to maintain a minimal arsenal of equipment and a barber hone is all that you will need to accomplish that.

Thank you for the replies guys, appreciate it. I wish they were still manufactured today...but will look into it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VDX

Thank you for the replies guys, appreciate it. I wish they were still manufactured today...but will look into it.

---

Swaty alone made over 6 million hones. I am on a quest to categorize many of the hones made by the Carborundum Company, many of which are great razor hones. Lots of other companies made lots of fantastic barber hones. There seems to be an almost limitless supply of these old barber hones available on ebay. The lack of modern manufacture is not really an issue. The key is to buy a decent old one for a decent price.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VDX

I own only 2 st8 razors. Do not plan on purchasing more. I am not a collector either nor do I plan on restoring anything other than keep my blade sharp. One is expensive, the other one is a cheap new DOVO. I plan on learning how to hone using the cheaper one of course. I do not own nor have any access to a workshop. I do not shave daily. Maybe once every 2-4 days. My beard isn't barbed wire strong either. I live in an apartment so not many tools around the house. I do like the idea of learning how to sharp/hone myself thus the reason I am making this inquiry. I could pick a honemeister (sp.) and have him hone it 3-4 times per year, but since I only own 2 razors and am not very patient when it comes to waiting for an item to be sent back to me, this is out of the question. From my brief research I'm thinking of going with a fine / extra fine coarse sharpening tool. The idea of lapping (I prefer to use flattening) water stones sounds like a turn off for me so that's a big hell no. Obviously ALL water stones need flattening regardless of brand and the only hone available which seems more friendly to me is the DMT. Input/suggestions/advice please :) thanks.

---

I like choceras

Big question! If you're really intent on keeping your blade sharp as opposed to letting it get dull and then resharpening it, choose a finishing stone like a belgian coticule. The DMT 8000 will sharpen quickly but the resulting edge isn't face friendly. A DMT8000 is different from a Norton 8000 or Belgian coticule (8000). The results show up on your face.

+1 on the barber hone. Coticules cost more, but they have the benefit of being able to work up a slurry to lower the grit if the razor needs more than just a touch up. They cant do bevel setting though, so if it gets to that point you'll need to send the razor out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stubear

Coticules.... can't do bevel setting though, so if it gets to that point you'll need to send the razor out.

---

Not true. It depends soley on the individual coticule (mine probably couldn't do it as it's a fairly hard specimen), as demonstrated by Bart with his Unicot method. Yes, it does take some extra time, effort and experimentation but it is still very possible to achieve.

i have several coticules. i have one that is fast as lightning well as fast as my 1k naniwa if not quiker. I have one that that is a little slower about 4k/3k and one that is around 5k/6k. they allpolish very nice the slower cutter gives me avery soft smooth edge the quikest cutter give me a smooth yet crisp edge. pressure with slurry willspeed things up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Howard

Big question! If you're really intent on keeping your blade sharp as opposed to letting it get dull and then resharpening it, choose a finishing stone like a belgian coticule. The DMT 8000 will sharpen quickly but the resulting edge isn't face friendly. A DMT8000 is different from a Norton 8000 or Belgian coticule (8000). The results show up on your face.

---

+1 in my experience. I have used the DMT8000 in a progression with tough S-30V and ATS-34 steels but always went on to a higher grit finisher and with those particular steels diamond paste. Other than that I've not found a need for that plate. Also IME a coticule with slurry can be used as a bevel setter but it is slow going unless you have an exceptional stone. I prefer to use a 1k naniwa and go on from there with whatever I decide to use. An edge finished on a coticule with water only is a very smooth and comfortable one in my experience if it is properly set and sharpened through the progression. Like any other stone, setting the bevel properly and adequate sharpening are the prerequisite for finishing. Just IMHO.

i actauly prefer to use my 1k naniwa.reason being my fast coticule is not the thickest and i would hate wear it down. plus slurry can get a little messy after a while . like jimmy says once bevel is set i go straight to my coticule and that does the rest.

Re barber hones,, what would they be "grit" wise?

ex