Thread: One stone with a barber hone and bevel set.

I am pretty sure Lynn actually did a One Stone Hone vid using a BH you might search

My favorite is a Long Swaty, I still have one razor that has been exclusively maintained on BH's since 2007

IIRC Ron aka Utopian has a set also that he has maintained for years using BH's


It really comes down to choice, there is nothing wrong with doing them anyway that gets you to a shaving edge.. You just have to realize that when most of us give a recommendation to newbs it is going to be the easiest most often successful path to achieve that.. It isn't even always what we ourselves do, or even what we think might be the best, it is what we know to work for the most people ..

Originally Posted by tintin

can you expound upon that Glen? i have had no luck with barber hones. i currently hone up to a 8K and am happy with the shaves(admittedly i am a beginner at honing) when the edge feels like it needs a touch up i've tried a frictionite, swaty and a carborundum. they either do nothing or make the edge worse. i thought it was my inexperience, or not knowing when to touch up (maybe waiting too long).

Personally I seriously doubt many if any BH's are over that level,,, I messed with them quite a bit, in fact I sold them for quite some time, tested every one that crossed my path...

They work quite well for what they were designed to do, they give good shaves, and when I could buy the best Swaty out there for $5 they were a great option... But when I hear numbers like 10k or 12k in relation to Barber's Hones I just roll my eyes and move on..

Sorta like every other stone out there, the numbers just continually seem to go up as soon as they go up on ebay


Now as to your maintenance I would try one razor that started at the 8k shaving level, on one BH and touch it up each weekend and see what that does, I have a vid up on how I use them..
See if that works for you and then adjust from there..

Originally Posted by tintin

can you expound upon that Glen? i have had no luck with barber hones. i currently hone up to a 8K and am happy with the shaves(admittedly i am a beginner at honing) when the edge feels like it needs a touch up i've tried a frictionite, swaty and a carborundum. they either do nothing or make the edge worse. i thought it was my inexperience, or not knowing when to touch up (maybe waiting too long).

Or you can trade me for the frictionite

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I am pretty sure Lynn actually did a One Stone Hone vid using a BH you might search

My favorite is a Long Swaty, I still have one razor that has been exclusively maintained on BH's since 2007

IIRC Ron aka Utopian has a set also that he has maintained for years using BH's


It really comes down to choice, there is nothing wrong with doing them anyway that gets you to a shaving edge.. You just have to realize that when most of us give a recommendation to newbs it is going to be the easiest most often successful path to achieve that.. It isn't even always what we ourselves do, or even what we think might be the best, it is what we know to work for the most people ..

I have never seen this video if anyone could post a link it would be helpful!!

The search goes on.

I have only tested one BH a 3 line swaty. honed my razor to 8k on a norton, I inspected the scratch pattern before and after using the BH. After the BH there was a deeper scratch pattern than the 8k left. I would estimate mine somewhere closer to a 6k barbor hone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP-GUeN_yBs

This is the one he is referring to.

Lapping and conditioning can improve performance, but still not as fine a polish as an 8k Norton.

You can shave off them though, a light hand and shaving cream helps.

Still months later I've been playing with the one stone barber hone method. For me it proves to be the easiest method. It's my fall back when I'm having no luck on the coticule. Which to be honest has been quite often lately.

I enjoy it's small size and its consistency. You do not have to slurry a barber hone, there are no dilutions, they are pretty bulletproof in their performance. Pressure is key on them. Figuring out the right pressure can take time. Along with that how many strokes should I make? That really depends. There is no way to nail down a method for every barber hone. Too much variance in their performance from stone to stone... Sound framiliar? Almost like a natural.... Not.

I've found using the TNT is paramount for success lately. It's a great test for finding a burr. An edge kill I've called it lately. I use the TNT the whole way up not just at bevel set. I use it then to tell I'm set, off the coarse side if I'm using a 2 sided hone and off the fine side before going to the strop. If any rough sensations are felt on the nail and you still strop it and shave you're in for a bad one. You've taken it too far. Joint and try again.

On the coarse sides if applicable, I've been using sets of 10 with light pressure right off the 1k, half strokes. TPT or AHT for gauge increases in keenness. Once improvement is seen I drop to sets of 5 x strokes with no pressure. Until the edge is maxed out or in the worst cases gone. (Harder to do on the coarse side)TNT to make sure no roughness is felt if don't even go to the fine side.

The fine side is pretty easy, it's just polishing what the coarse side made. If done right a sharp edge! I work in sets of 5 x strokes. Light to no pressure, sometimes if I'm a little behind off the coarse I'll use light pressure and go to none when required. It doesn't take too long on the fine side to finish up. I still use the TNT to make sure I haven't taken the edge to far. Once I feel like I'm there in the TPT, ( a nice sticky -ness for lack of a better term) I squirt some soft soap on the hone, mix it with water to allow the water to coat the entire hone and not bead up and do 5 very light x strokes to put the icing on the cake.


The method without a coarse side hasn't been as easy, it takes a lot more testing, time and patience. I try to work in the same half strokes of 10. This time using more moderate pressure. Working my way to no pressure. If you can't get it using this method the secondary bevel is always a great option add 1 or 2 layers of tape and hone until the TPT tells you to stop.

I have really found no advantage personally in linen with a barber hone edge. Leather yes, linen.. I haven't been lately. The first strop is very important and I like to do about 200 laps to really smooth things out.



Most of the edges have been crisp, but comfortable and close without razor burn or redness. If you like soft edges for your soft face this isn't the way for you.

They are not Suehrio Gokumyo 20k's, JNats, or eschers. They can provide an excellent shave, with nothing to be desired. All that it takes is time, patience, trial and error, and some facial hair.