Options For Edge Maintenance..

Gentlemen-

I'd like to get some opinions on how you keep your shave ready razors in good order. I realize that there probably is no "best answer", but I'd like to hear your thoughts are on a few ideas I'm looking into.

Barber Hones--I've read that Utopian maintained a few razors for many years with only a barber hone and had good results. If one takes that route, is there ever a time when the razor will need to go back to a full set of hones-or can one keep going with this routine indefinitely? This method appeals to me--I have two nice barber hones already (a Case Choice 132 and a Diamond King) and they seem to work well--but I'm a novice honer and wonder if I should go for something better.

Coticules and Thuringians--

If one is just maintaining the edge with these stones, would you just use water and a few laps as you would with a barber hone? Or do natural stones require more laps than barber hones to achieve well maintained edges. Is lather on natural stones needed or ever used?

Naniwa 12k--

This seems to be a popular way to go--I don't have this stone, but I'm open to buying one if this is truly a better way to go. I have the Naniwa 3/8 and the barber hones and have been working with those. Would my edges be better maintained by this stone? If I can achieve noticeably better results with the Nani 12K I'll pick one up...

Looking forward to your comments and thanks in advance--everyone's posts on SRD have been a big help in getting started!

Marty E.

Basically any finisher will do. If you do your research and find out which barber hone will deliver the nicest edge, they will often be the least expensive option. Unless of course you want one of the two or three highly sought after and becoming very rare ones. If you can find someone the has experience and has good coticule, that is an option, but they and eschers are rarely inexpensive. If you like the edge from a synthetic, they are usually fairly reasonable. To help you figure out which is your best option you may want to send a few blades out and have them finished on specific hones and decide which you prefer. Gssixgun has a very wide selection of hones and I am certain you could get those done with him. I suppose if you checked with the others in the members services area of the classifieds you would find that some of them will also have a wide range.

Folks have been shaving with straights for a very long time and most had a simple hone and used it to maintain their razors. Some took the razor to a traveling sharpener who also used simple stuff.

You don't need much. Most around this place are hobbyists who seek the ultimate which is like a dog chasing his tail.

If all you want is to maintain a good edge any of the hones discussed like the naniwa 12K or a coticule or some of the shaptons or the Gomoku or even a strop with CrO and host of others will do fine.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Most around this place are hobbyists who seek the ultimate which is like a dog chasing his tail.

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+1 to what tbs said, but ....... every dog I've seen chasing his own tail was a happy dog ! ......... :rock: