Thread: Frictionite 00

It's not barbers who are paying big prices for hones, or shavers. It's axe men, and almost exclusively they're going to australia.

I sold a bunch of frictionites that a friend of mine had (frictionites and super punjabs). The first one I opened only to the US and it didn't bring much. The rest, I opened to australia and they sold easily at prices I'd consider pretty high. All went to a single woodsman and none to shavers.

I did use one of them before I readied them for sale, or two actually. One super punjab and one #00 (same abrasive). They have a superb feel with clean water (i can't think of any reason to lap them other than if they're out of flat, they need no slurry). I got a nice keen edge that didn't razor burn me like a synthetic 12k stone would. I did not use linen, just straight to leather.

They are a cut above every other barber hone I've used, and easy to use because honing all the way to the edge won't yield a harsh edge, but it's not shavers that are supporting the high prices.

Well,

maybe my statement will be bold and I can`t compare (in fact I should not even to write what I`m writing as I never had or used #00) but pretty good (and as we know natural stones vary in quality) LI finishing on oil brings really good result too. I wish to compare blade from #00 and LI on oil. I still have several hones which I never had time to lap. Someone from SRP forum even mention that two of them are Eschers stones and from what I heard and this are really good stone too. Also (recently) I have read about this South African hones. DaveW my question is where is #00 placed in this "race of perfection"? Top of all natural stones or top of all synthetic stones? Is it something you can answer on assuming at least you had experience of some of the stones I have mentioned. Thank you!

Easier to use than most natural stones and finer than most when used on water. Not finer than an escher on clear water so far as I can tell. Finer than a standard barber hone and finer than a norton 8k. Whether or not it's finer than a stone like a naniwa SS 12k on water, I'm not sure. The edge is more comfortable, though.

That is at least my assessment of two later manufacture hones - 1970 or so moravia iowa stones.

Still waiting on my zulu, so I don't know how it compares to them. I also don't know what the abrasive is in a frictionite stone, so I don't know how they'll work on stainless steel razors. I did my testing on a solingen-made carbon steel razor. I can't remember what it was exactly, but it was not a softer english razor.

All that said, if you have a good LI finisher that gives you a comfortable keen edge, unless it's fairly coarse or you are putting a lot of pressure on it, I don't think there's a lot out there you're going to gain much from.

It's like anything else in this hobby, A lot of personal preference. Jimmy nailed the point home. Barber hones were kept in the waist pockets of the traditional barber jackets for fast touch ups. Makes sense when you think about the physics of it. They couldn't carry a Coti, or an Escher.

I've never used a Frictionite, but I do have plently of Barber hones. I keep a Swaty out by my razors for quick touch ups, 3-5 laps, that's it.

The Frictionite 00 and the Super Punjab used the same type & grade of abrasive. That abrasive is no longer available.

The Barber hones are intended as a touch up/maintainence hone. JimmyHad described their use correctly. I will add that I have my grandfathers Frictionite 00 and it is the only hone he owned. No other razor grade finishing stones.

The current high prices are due to the scarcity and excellent reputation. They are simply no longer being made because the abrasive is now not available. The laws of supply & demand are now in effect.

Are they better than other razor finishing grade stones/hones? That really depends on your personal preference.

Originally Posted by DaveW

It's not barbers who are paying big prices for hones, or shavers. It's axe men, and almost exclusively they're going to australia.

I sold a bunch of frictionites that a friend of mine had (frictionites and super punjabs). The first one I opened only to the US and it didn't bring much. The rest, I opened to australia and they sold easily at prices I'd consider pretty high. All went to a single woodsman and none to shavers.

I did use one of them before I readied them for sale, or two actually. One super punjab and one #00 (same abrasive). They have a superb feel with clean water (i can't think of any reason to lap them other than if they're out of flat, they need no slurry). I got a nice keen edge that didn't razor burn me like a synthetic 12k stone would. I did not use linen, just straight to leather.

They are a cut above every other barber hone I've used, and easy to use because honing all the way to the edge won't yield a harsh edge, but it's not shavers that are supporting the high prices.

Yea those Axe men over their are the must awesome folks in the world when i used to buy some manmade hones off ebay to resell they
always got shipped off to that country with good profit in almust no time.