Thread: Norton 1/4 Hone

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You need to understand that SRP is here to help you new guys along the easiest path, not the Cheapest, not the Fastest, not the most Expensive, but the Easiest, now if you don't want to hear that info or accept it then honestly you can keep asking and eventually get the answer that your are looking for.. Sorta like this thread Multiple experienced people saying this is not the easiest solution to honing, and one or two people that are saying it was cheap and it works...
If it is about the cost then noone's opinion really matters, now does it.. Now if you ask, you are always going to get the answer that the MAJORITY of newbs have succeeded in using...

As always, it is your money, and your face, and as a grown man you make your own decisions

Makes sense to me, others just don't get it sometimes I think. I still try to respect everyone regardless of a newb status lol

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You need to understand that SRP is here to help you new guys along the easiest path, not the Cheapest, not the Fastest, not the most Expensive, but the Easiest, now if you don't want to hear that info or accept it then honestly you can keep asking and eventually get the answer that your are looking for.. Sorta like this thread Multiple experienced people saying this is not the easiest solution to honing, and one or two people that are saying it was cheap and it works...
If it is about the cost then noone's opinion really matters, now does it.. Now if you ask, you are always going to get the answer that the MAJORITY of newbs have succeeded in using...

As always, it is your money, and your face, and as a grown man you make your own decisions

I understand where you're coming from. And as a been I certainly take it into consideration as I do with the advice. There are just many opinions on things like this and I like to hear the responses. Of course cost is a factor especially when it's something I don't have experience with. If I didn't want to hear advice I would've just bought them instead if asking. If these are a cost effective stepping stone before I but full size stones, then great. If people that have used them say it's not worth it then I wouldn't bother with them.

Totally understand, and glad that SRP is here and available. This whole straight razor thing can be pretty intimidating, (even on the pocket book). There is probably alot of people like me that are wanting to get into it, but are on a tight budget. So it is not that some of us are just "cheap skates". Money is tight for alot of us right now. We are just trying to find that "middle of the road" not break the bank, or get on the bad side of SWMBO!

It is very confusing, and can be quite expensive, You start reading about all the results and different techniques and want to get there

This is actually why so many of us tell you new guys not to even start honing until you have been shaving for at least 6 months, so many things change in that first 6 months.. The worst possible scenario is to have to buy things twice

Many of the senior members have done just that, and learned the hard way, that is what they are really trying to tell you is to wait figure it all out and then buy the right tool to do the job...

Just always keep it in the back of your mind that in the long run they are trying to save you money too..

TRY reading the "Less is more" thread in the honing section, it may help.

I understand the waiting advice. I train horses (and people) for a living, When someone comes to me wanting to get into horses, I recommend they take some lessons first or lease a horse for awhile and find out if it is something they want to stick with, horses being alot of work and expense before you ever get to the fun riding stuff. I don't know if I'm speaking for other "newbs" but you guys have laid such a good foundation and given us a proven path to follow I know by now that shaving with a staight is for me, no going back. I tell my horsemanship students that tools, technique, excersises, etc. all that is flexible and adaptible, but priciple and concept is rock solid, doesn't change. Kind of the same with the honing. We just have to learn the principles and concepts and make it our own so to speek. Maybe that is why so many of us will go ahead and jump in, we know that with all the GREAT info you have given us, we want to get started. Can you really blame us lol. I really do sympathize with you shaving vets because I mentor so many with horses. But the cool thing is for me, when a "newb" comes along and I can see they are really excited and want to learn, It gets me fired up all over again and keeps me inspired.
So maybe us shaving newbs are good for something.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Wait, 1/4 of the hone? That seems... silly. Makes a lot more work of honing, anyway. Smaller hones are the best way on earth to put a frown on a razor unless your 45' x-stroke is just right. Not that it can't be done, just that you have to really know what you're doing.

+1... For a while I used the small DMT's, 4"x1". Verrrry easy to hone unevenly.
You don't need a full size hone for touchups as evidenced by small Barber hone sizes. For anything else small hones are inefficient, awkward & possibly dangerous, especially in inexperienced hands.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

+1... For a while I used the small DMT's, 4"x1". Verrrry easy to hone unevenly.
You don't need a full size hone for touchups as evidenced by small Barber hone sizes.

Ya know I am not so convinced there either there sure are a ton of mis-honed razors out there that were "Honed" back in the day on Barber's hones

Ain't that the truth. Some barber hones are aggressive enough to set a bevel but I bet those razors got more than 3-5 light strokes as per instructions on the box.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Ain't that the truth. Some barber hones are aggressive enough to set a bevel but I bet those razors got more than 3-5 light strokes as per instructions on the box.

I wonder how many of those barbers went to the stone instead of the strop wanting to make fast work of it. 4-6 stroke versus the 30-50 to strop.