Thread: Caborundum 102- ??????

So after seeing a bunch of threads on these little carborundum barber hones, I took a look at ebay and the prices sure seemed right, so I got a 102.

I cleaned it up, and it sure is a neat little guy, in his old box. But when I decided to test him out, I was left with some pretty big questions.

What I did was this--I honed out a Hjelestrand I got recently to 12K on naniwa SS. I had a mirror bevel, and I gave it TWO x strokes on the dry 102. (The box clearly says it's ok to use dry.)

A couple of things happened. Under the microscope, the bevel was completely trashed. I mean, huge, deep scratches. The edge was turned into a hacksaw, as well.

Then, the arm hair test--I've honed enough razors to have the AHT calibrted to my face now, and I can tell with pretty good accuracy how well a razor will shave off of how it acts on MY arm hair. (Your results may vary, of course).

I had been getting nice, quiet lay-downs off the 12K, the hair falling like grass before the scythe. After the two strokes on the 102? Nothing. I could shave hair off my arm, but it tugged and pulled something awful.

You couldn't PAY me to shave off of that edge.

What's more, to hone those two strokes out, I had to drop back down to 5K to do anything to them; 8K wouldn't dent them. So from all I can see, my Carborundum 102 is roughly 1K. Maybe 800.

So, either the hone I have (which fits the box it came in perfectly) is not actually a carborundum 102, or y'all have some tough old faces...