Thread: Swaty Sides and Grit Differences

Over the years, I've read a lot about the Swaty barber hones. Some old directions say the hone is two-sided, while most SRP members, myself included, say that personal experience proves otherwise. I've been reading a lot of old barber manuals lately, and I came across directions for the Swaty that I found interesting and that may shed some light on the subject.

Barber Instructor and Toilet Manual
Copyrighted 1900 by Frank C. Bridgeford

THE SWATY HONE.

This is comparatively a new product [comparing to the Belgian and German Water Stones]. It was invented by Francis Swaty, of Vienna, and is practically more in use now than any other used, and when in good condition it takes very little honing. I will give you instructions pertaining to the Swaty hone.

1.--The two sides of the alumine hone differ in roughness, the side marked with the firm is the sharper one.

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5.--Should the rough side, by long use get too smooth rub it when dry with rough emery paper or with a flat piece of pumice stone and plenty of water.
6.--Should the finer surface by long use get too smooth rub it gently at first with fine emery paper.

Notice how he mentions in instruction 1. that the two sides differ in roughness, not in formula. Now, I could be reading this wrong, but according to this manual it seems that the difference in the Swaty's cutting power (coarse v. fine) is not created by two different formulas poured back-to-back as easily seen in the famous C-Mon, Dubl Duck, and Tonsorial Gem, but by a single formula and its differing textures (rough emery v. fine emery) as seen in the Spyderco fine and ultrafine stones.

This would explain our inability to distinguish a difference in performance between the two sides, since most of us prefer to lap our barber hones before using, and both sides are likely to receive the same lapping treatment (DMT 325, for example).

I don't own a Swaty anymore, but perhaps someone here could lap one side (rear) with 325 grit and the other side (front) with 1000g and report on the performance? I'd be very interested in the results.

Just a thought...

Thanx,
Christopher