Thread: dual grit barber hone

I have an old barber hone that I am guessing has two different grits because the top and bottom are two different shades of brown. Is there an easy way to determine which side is higher grit? (There are a couple pictures here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=9392)

I don't know the name of that hone, but I have a keen Kutter barber hone that has two different grits. the bottom is darker and that is the side you use first. if the razor needs polishing more you use the other side. This hone is only used to refresh a sharp razor, but I don't know what the grits are.

Phil

Thats the problem with the old barbers hones. When you get them you often don't know what you have. many are dual sided like the peaches n cream hones. You'll just have to experiment with a junk razor and see what side does what unless someone here happens to have the exact same hone and sounds off.

The general rule is that the dark side is the coarse side.

There are plenty of exceptions though. On dubl duck hone the dark side is the fine side, or so the directions claim.

I have a hone in my collection that looks exactly like the one in your photo. It's an artificial stone and mine has no discernible words on it so I can't tell you the manufacturer. An easy way to tell which side is coarser is to look at it under magnification. If it's too loaded, clean it first with Easy Off Fume Free and then look at it under magnification. The coarser side will be really obvious as the peaks and valleys will be more pronounced.