Thread: Barber Hones

Originally Posted by mrbison

I have been reading and trying to learn about hones but I'm a little confused about what are called "barber's hones" and I've got a few questions.

1. Why do they never say what grit they are? If they are for touching up a blade are they something similar to a 12k?
2. Why are the only barbers hones I see vintage? Are these kinds of hones no longer made?
3. Finally, if these hones work the way I think they do, what's the point of using CrOx pastes and sprays when you can just do a few laps on your barbers hone?

Sorry about the basic level questions - I'm still working on getting a basic level of knowledge.

To your questions:

1.Depends on the particular hone. Some are quite coarse and have 2 sides, the coarser side is not a finishing side and has a much lower grit equivalent, say ~3K. The better finishers, Swaty, or Swaty like barbers hones ~10K. The little Carborundum razor hones about the same. Others seems about ~6K or so.
2. +1 for above, no longer made as such. But, there are plenty of synthetic hones made in equivalent grit ratings today. You could always cut one down if you wanted.
3. +1 they are for quick blade maintenance, usually 4-6 strokes will refresh an edge. Lynn had a nice tutorial on using these posted.

They are called barbers hones, but in many cases they were also used by self-shavers. In fact, some of them even have that on the boxes" for self-shavers."

I have played around with about ten barbers hones and like them for what they can do at the price point ~$20 or so for a decent one off the bay.

Pasted strops tend to round off your bevel, stones tend to get your bevel back more to a "v" shape. Barbers hones are an inexpensive alternative for decent blade maintenance when pasting does not refresh the edge well or when you want to preserve your bevel. Using them together, first the barbers hone and then pasted strop can give you a nice shaveable edge.

But, the edges are generally not as good as those that come off a true high-quality finishing hone like a coticule, a thurigian or a J-nat.

A small coticule will serve the same refreshing purpose, be far more versatile, but will cost about 3x more. Have fun!