Thread: How often to hone?

For about the first 10 years, I maintained my one and only razor with a strop and a Black Arkansas stone. If you look at many vintage razors you will see very little if any spine wear. I suspect they were not taping spines a hundred years ago, so they most probably maintained razors much the same as I did.

Perfecting your stropping will go a long, long way to maintaining your razors, that and a finishing stone or barbers hone as said, will keep you shaving forever or until damaged. Most of my 30+ vintage rotation has only been bevel set once by me and many have only touched a stone that one time and may never touch a stone again, as long as I have them.

I suspect we now hone razors much more, that was ever done in the day and have probably have made it much more complicated than need be, maximum effort for minimum results.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

For about the first 10 years, I maintained my one and only razor with a strop and a Black Arkansas stone. If you look at many vintage razors you will see very little if any spine wear. I suspect they were not taping spines a hundred years ago, so they most probably maintained razors much the same as I did.

Perfecting your stropping will go a long, long way to maintaining your razors, that and a finishing stone or barbers hone as said, will keep you shaving forever or until damaged. Most of my 30+ vintage rotation has only been bevel set once by me and many have only touched a stone that one time and may never touch a stone again, as long as I have them.

I suspect we now hone razors much more, that was ever done in the day and have probably have made it much more complicated than need be, maximum effort for minimum results.

That's crazy cool and I bet you are probably 100% right!

Alas, my blades are my hobby and as with all my hobby's, I obsess. Seeking out different and marginally better ways of doing the same thing is fun for me... and keeps the economy rolling lol!

No doubt my obsessing will succumb to practicality at some point. When that day comes, I am sure I'll have taken to obsessing about another hobby. I hope .

Good on you Euclid440!!

One day soon I'll be trying those Arkansas stones! I always have wanted to!

Sounds like I get to save some money. Just get some good pastes and some independent strips to paste