Thread: Swaty 2-line Barbers Hone vs. Belgian Blue vs. pasted balsa

I currently have a Swaty 2-line and a pasted balsa for touch ups. While the balsa does an ok job, it seems the Swaty is only letting me practice my honing strokes without any perceived improvement to the edge. The balsa does an ok job, but just ok.

I've been reading about the BBW. I believe one could be had for ~$30 for a barbers hone size (2" x 4"). Would that serve as a good alternative? I'm thinking the ability to slurry would give me a wider range of honing capability.

Experiences? Comments?

I would use them together, rather than pitch them against one another. The BBW is said to be circa 4K equivalent, but I have had OK shaves off it. Infact, it is what I used to use 3 years ago. Now I don't use it, it is ad hoc backing to my coticule.

If your Swaty is not improving the edge (bringing it back to what it ordinarily would, assuming you have successfully used it to refresh the edge previously, thereby knowing it capabilities and limitations) then you need something more aggressive. The BBW is more aggressive, albeit slower, but correctly as you say, more versatile with the use of slurry.

So back to my original point: use the BBW and Swaty in a progression. Swaty is roughly 8-10K from what I have read, but no one actually knows.

There are of course, many equivalents. If money is your rationale, I can understand why you may wish to spend $30 on a BBW. But a 2 x 4 BBW given its slow cutting speed is going to be very annoying. If you are going to go for a BBW among other options, my advice would be to get a large one. Which is not as cheap as you anticipated. I'd go for a Naniwa, or better yet, invest in a Norton 4/8K. These can do it all.

IMO a better bet would be to spend a few bucks more and get a norton 4/8 combo hone. You can sharpen with the 4k and finish with the 8. The swaty is meant for touching up an already sharp/finished edge that is falling off a bit until you can get back to the hone. That is what barbers used in the midst of their work day if necessary. The paste on balsa is also ideally used on an already shave ready razor. Also, a 3"X8" hone will be way more efficient than a 2x4.

+1 to the recommendation to get the Norton 4k/8k. Your Swaty is a nice stone, but if your bevel is starting to get a little round (which happens normally, from stropping) the Swaty will never catch up with it. Your CrOx on balsa won't correct it, either. The Norton is pretty much the plain vanilla hone around here; there are probably dozens of people on line at any minute here who can answer your questions about it. I think they're about $80 now. Save your pennies and don't buy a halfway solution. You can shave off the 8k once you get the feel for it, then you can refine your edge on your swaty and CrOx and shave happy once more.

Best wishes

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

IMO a better bet would be to spend a few bucks more and get a norton 4/8 combo hone. You can sharpen with the 4k and finish with the 8. The swaty is meant for touching up an already sharp/finished edge that is falling off a bit until you can get back to the hone. That is what barbers used in the midst of their work day if necessary. The paste on balsa is also ideally used on an already shave ready razor. Also, a 3"X8" hone will be way more efficient than a 2x4.

+1
the Norton combo is a true work horse.


The Swaty is not close to a balsa CrOx lap.
Use them in a correct sequence.

The CrOx balsa hone will polish, smooth and calm
an edge set by a more aggressive hone. In general
CrOx is best not considered a sharpening step but rather a
finishing step.

Without spending more money.
Lightly hone the razor on the Swaty -- five or six
strokes no more. Lather helps a barber hone.
Then tune the edge on a sequence of strops. The CrOx
on balsa is a good step to follow a Swaty. I would give
it 20 smooth strokes. Follow the balsa hone with your
every day canvas(30)+clean leather(50) strop.

A glossy polished barber hone can hone as fine as a
a modern 10K hone maybe better. Fresh lapped and
cleaned it can act a lot like a 3K for some time until it
calms down. A light touch is important.....

For an individual...
A weekly or monthly visit to a barber hone can maintain
an edge for a long time. A barber hone is not going to
set a bevel or rescue a badly rolled edge. The trick
if there is one is to hone so lightly that it is difficult
to notice a change and then be relentless on a weekly
or monthly schedule.

I tried a dozen barber hones and none are flat out
better than a 4k/8k combo.