Thread: Touch up hone

I'm sorry if you already discussed this a million times, but the search function isn't working for me. I'm looking into getting a hone to refresh my edge. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I'm a newb at shaving with a straight and I just sent my razor to SRD for the free rehoning, but would like to do it myself next time.

My razor got dull pretty quickly, about 2 weeks. I dont think my stropping was sharpening it. I have to work on that.

I'm looking at the Naniwa superstone 10k. Would that do the trick or should I look for the 12k or something else altogether?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Ken

wait..what is not working with the search?

btw, you can also use google if you want. just append site:straightrazorplace.com

Originally Posted by KenL

I'm sorry if you already discussed this a million times, but the search function isn't working for me. I'm looking into getting a hone to refresh my edge. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I'm a newb at shaving with a straight and I just sent my razor to SRD for the free rehoning, but would like to do it myself next time.

My razor got dull pretty quickly, about 2 weeks. I dont think my stropping was sharpening it. I have to work on that.

I'm looking at the Naniwa superstone 10k. Would that do the trick or should I look for the 12k or something else altogether?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Ken

Originally Posted by KenL

I'm sorry if you already discussed this a million times, but the search function isn't working for me. I'm looking into getting a hone to refresh my edge. Does anyone have any recommendations?

cheapest would be CrO pasted strop for refreshing edges.
If more work needs to be done barber hone will be a very good choice.
If you want to invest a bit a 12k super Stone would be a good choice.

I don't think my stropping was sharpening it. I have to work on that.

Strops are not meant to sharpen, just to smooth the edge.

People here use naturals from coticules, Eschers and Jnats, to synthetics such as Barber hones, 12K Naniwas and Shapton 16Ks, some even Shapton 30Ks.

One thing you are not short of is choice. Things to consider are price and novelty. For instance for price and funtion, purely, I recommend a Nani 10K, 12K or Barber hone.

Now for novelty...having something rare that is the work of nature's forces. No two are quite the same, and most are no longer being quarried. If you go down this route many would argue that the finish is unparallel to synthetic hones and far smoother, but price and HAD will take you far away from just wanting a touch up. You have been warned!

Welcome, Ken, you're in the right place for answers, and I hope you enjoy SR shaving as much as the rest of us do!

If I may respond to your original question with some unsolicited advice . . . if your blade is becoming dull after 2 weeks of use, you are doing something wrong in your daily routine. I'm sure it is easily fixed, but you might want to look more closely at your stropping technique before you start trying out "touch up" hones. Really, you should get many, many more sharp shaves out of each honing -- like easily over 30 and probably more than 60. There's some good videos on YouTube showing proper stropping technique. Really, you want to use very little pressure on the blade, and you want to do at least 20-40 laps before and after each shave.

As for finishing or touch up hones, I am partial to natural stones, so I like an Escher or Thuringian or a very fine Japanese stone like a Nakayama asagi. Truthfully, though, these are all luxury items, and anyone here would tell you that you can get identical results from a good Chinese 12k stone or a Shapton 16k. I also use a chromium-oxide balsa strop now and then, but not very often, as I am told here that using it alot will actually dull the edge.

Read this section of the site and you'll get a LOT more advice on stones and honing technique, but if you want my opinion, I would just worry about stropping for now. Rehoning your razor every two weeks or so is going to turn your nice Dovo into a toothpick in no time!

You have several options for maintaining an edge that is already sharp but just needs a simple touch up. Any of these options will work indefinitely for maintaining the edge of your razor as long as it only needs simple maintenance.

1. Either the Naniwa Superstone 10k or 12k would be just fine. The 12k would be more fine. The downside for either of these is that it would occasionally need to be lapped.

2. The Chinese hone, available from Woodcraft, will produce a very good edge. It is a slower hone but that's not much of an issue. As a very hard natural stone, it will need lapping when you first get it but probably will never need it again in your, or your son's, lifetime. It also has the advantage of being half the price of the Naniwas.

3. A barber hone will produce an edge that usually is not quite as good as those from the above but the hones is fast, usually getting the job done in just a few strokes, and should not ever need to be lapped. Their prices can vary depending upon the individual hone and you would need to do a bit of research or get advice on choosing a particular brand. Unfortunately eBay is probably the best option for getting one at this time.

ThankS everyone. As for searching, I'm using a iPod touch, so it's not working because of that I think. Thanks for the tip about google, I didn't know you could search specific sites with it.

Also thanks for the advice about stropping. I do realize that something is wrong with my stropping and that I shouldn't hone every 2 weeks. I hope my stropping will improve and extend the life of my shaving edge, then I could use the hone.


Thanks again.

12k naniwa its quik and easy i have one and the edge is real good of the 12k . naturals such as coticule thury etc are nice but would take more laps . which means more chance of a bad stroke or two. get the 12k you carn't go wrong.

Sorry to be blunt but if you dulled your razor in 2 weeks of stropping you'd likely dull your razor in 5 minutes of honing. You really need to fix your stropping first. All mistakes will be magnified on stones & even pasted strops... but yeah 10 or 12 k Nanaiwa works in the function you ask about

Ken,

I have used 10 & 12k Naniwa SuperStones with good results

I normally use the 12k, but with a few razors I use the 10k.

Have fun !

regards

Russ