Panama Combo Hone?

Wanted to see if anyone had any 411 on what this barber hone might be made of...

I know a lot of barber hones are made of alumina or other such materials, but yesterday I lapped a beat-up old 2-grit combo "Panama Hone" (originally $3 from Chicago), and I'm *really* impressed with how it performs.

The lighter-colored side feels like the lower grit of the two, but both sides feel like significantly higher grits than my Swaty or other barber hones. Actually, the black side feels suspiciously like my (non-vintage Mueller) Thuringian, and works up the same kind of "slimy" feeling slurry.

Also, both sides appear to have small inclusions, which may be the result of the lapping, but I can't remember seeing inclusions in any other barber hones I've lapped.

it is a good hone. i am sure you will find information about it on barber hone characteristics
thread.

I check that out. Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by QuinnFlint

I check that out. Thanks!

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this is the link.
scroll down a little
http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...teristics.html

Very interesting thread-thanks for pointing me to it. So looks like this is probably an aluminum oxide back with lithide (the black side), so I guess it's the lithide I'm really (really) diggging. I'll have to keep an eye out for more like it.

I have a Panama (brown/black) hone too. I read somewhere on SRP it was estimated in the 12K-16K range. I lapped away the logo on the extra fine side (black) to gain about 20% more honing surface. I really love the extra fine side--smooth like black glass.

Me

One more thing...the directions on the Panama box read:

Using Lather occasionally will keep this hone free cutting, and it will not get smooth or glaze. Caution: Be sure and wash hone with cold water every time after honing with lather.

The same words are printed on the directions for the Frictionite 00.

Somebody's a plagiarist. =)


Me

Nice! I like instructions. I was wondering if this was similar to the American Hone Co. Frictionites... I hear great things about the Frictionites, but the last one I found on eBay went for over $100, and I just ain't willing to cough that up for a barber hone.

Oops! I made a mistake. (And I cannot edit my original post.)

First, the directions I quoted above were not from my Panama hone box, but from the paper directions inside my Carborundum Company razor hone box. Forgive me. My memory is weak.

Second, I thought I would reprint the text exactly as it appears with respect to capitalization and underlining. The paper reads:

Using Lather occasionally will keep this Hone free cutting, and it will not get smooth or glaze. Caution: Be sure and wash Hone with cold water every time after honing with Lather.

Again...the directions are not from my Panama hone as originally stated. (I am a dork.)

Thanx,
Me

From the box containing my Panama Hone:

"Give the razor eight or ten strokes on the light colored or quick cutting side then turn the hone over and give the razor not more than two or three strokes on the finishing or petrified wood side. You cannot over hone on the quick cutting side, but the finishing side can be used too much and the edge made too smooth to cut. Either side of this hone can be used wet or dry. If used dry, the quick cutting side must be cleaned occasionally with lather and a cloth or one wet honing will do it.

Don't use alcohol or any preparation containing alcohol or hot water on this hone. Shaving lather and wet towel will always clean off all deposited steel"

I hope this helps.

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Sorry, I was unable to get a clear pic of the instructions on the back of the box.