Thread: To Hone or Pay Someone Else to Hone

Originally Posted by Straightrazzin

Also, does honing every 75 shaves sound about right?

Well not to me, I'm used to shaving with freshly honed blades (honing myself) so I'm spoiled and would be hitting the hones waaaay before that...

Was just checking out some other posts and it sounds like someone else (no surprise) is having the same issue as me. Another member recommended a 12k grit Naniwa Super Stone. What do you think about this is my one and only, get my razor sharp hone? Seems pretty different from a 4/8k hone. Also, can anyone recommend a quality US straightrazor. Already have a Dovo so looking for something a little different, assuming they're any good!

A naniwa, or any 12k, is fine for touching up or finishing an already sharp razor. If you want something to sharpen/finish a norton 4000/8000 combo stone is more suited to the task. The 12k is icing on the cake.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

A naniwa, or any 12k, is fine for touching up or finishing an already sharp razor. If you want something to sharpen/finish a norton 4000/8000 combo stone is more suited to the task. The 12k is icing on the cake.

Or he could just buy all hones ever made, just like you!

Originally Posted by Blix

Or he could just buy all hones ever made, just like you!

Tried to stimulate the economy as much as I could but it didn't work. I have tried many of them but sold most and now just stick with the chosera 1k for bevels, the norton 4/8 and usually an escher y/g. Occasionally a coticule or my one nakayama asagi if I'm in the mood for one of those.

I'm about to buy the 4000/8000 but one last question. On the SRD description, it mentions that "A Norton 8000 grit stone can actually be used to refresh a razor in many situations followed by either a .5 diamond spray on felt or chromium oxide spray on felt. Chromium oxide paste on linen or poly webbing will work after the 8000 Norton as well." Per my initial post, all I'm looking for is something to get my somewhat dull razor in great shaving condition, not start a sharpening business. Given I have no idea what a diamond/oxide spray is, do I need to sort/buy these things too??

Glad to hear everyone's trying to stimulate the economy. Thanks to SRP looks like I'll be doing my part too!

The norton 4000/8000 is dependable, and imo you don't really need anything higher.
Higher is the cherry on the cake, but not more. I shaved quite some time off the 8000.

As long as your razor is in good condition, a pasted paddle would suffice. A colleague of mine has a very heavy beard (the kind that produces stubble after half a day). I sold him a plain hollow ground 3 years ago, and advised him to buy a pasted paddle from Tony Miller; the kind with 3 sides paste and 1 side plain leather.

He has to touch up his razor on a weekly basis, due to his coarse beard. His razor has never needed honing. they key is to take good care of it, and not let it get too dull. If, as you say, you just want to maintain a razor, a pasted paddle is all you will ever need.

Originally Posted by Straightrazzin

Was just checking out some other posts and it sounds like someone else (no surprise) is having the same issue as me. Another member recommended a 12k grit Naniwa Super Stone. What do you think about this is my one and only, get my razor sharp hone? Seems pretty different from a 4/8k hone. Also, can anyone recommend a quality US straightrazor. Already have a Dovo so looking for something a little different, assuming they're any good!

Most vintage US straight razors will be fine. Check the razor clubs to see what is in use by SRP members. The options for hones above are all good ones. The major question is selecting a hone is "What kind of honing do you want to do?". If you are just maintaining an edge that is not damaged in any way a Barber's hone or 12k Naniwa would be fine as would a pasted strop of some sort. Once you get into more than just refining an edge you get to the 4/8k hones like the Norton combo. Here is a point that will help. The finer the hone grit (12k is finer than 8k and 8k is finer than 4k) the smoother the edge will shave and the slower the hone will remove metal. Taking a dull razor or one with a rolled edge to and 8k hone will take a lot of time to get an edge. Using a 12k hone on the same damaged razor will take longer than you would accept and you will give up. The best suggestion I can offer is to send out the razor that has the rolled edge for repair and a fresh edge, learn not to damage your razor and pick up a Barber's hone of finisher of your choice. Once you notice the razor getting dull take it to the finisher before it goes too far. A Barber's hone may give you a bit more time before you need to hone the razor. If you are going to get into repairing the edge you should get more razors to practice with and a full set of hones from 1k to ~12k. If you try to sneak into honing razors by purchasing more or less than you need in grit sizes you will not be happy with the results as far as shave smoothness or time to hone is concerned. There is no way around that. Most professional razor honing is done on hones finer than 8k and may even have pasted strops mixed in. You will not get that result with an 8k hone. A 12k may get you closer to that finished edge but to repair a razor with that hone, forget it. I feel the best way to get into honing your own razors is, as noted above, to have more than one razor, start by just maintaining your edges with a fine hone. If you need to fix an edge send it out. If you want to learn how to repair edges, buy a full set of hones and another razor to learn on, preferably a good quality razor for a low price. Good luck.

Minimally a barbers hone and a leather strop is enough. I agree with JimmyHAD and others about some additional equipment being better. But, a barbers hone and a leather strop will maintain shave readiness.

I see a lot of guys recommend a barber hone and if you have a shave ready razor that needs a touching up that will do it. The reason I always recommend the Norton 4/8 combo is because the 8k will also do it and if you need more sharpening it will do that as well. BTW, the 8k side of a norton combo does not need soaking so if that is the side you're using, say in a touch up, you needn't worry about a 15 minute soak before you can use it. Of course the 4k side does need the soaking.

I figure that while a fellow can maintain his razor with a barber hone the 4/8 combo is so much more versatile that it is far more advantageous to invest in one of those. If in the future vintage razors are acquired off of the bay or out of an antique shop, flea market, wherever , the norton will be enough to get the razors up to speed. Of course a bevel setter and a finisher would be a real plus in getting the job done but the 4/8 is all you really need at minimum.