Thread: Lathering a barber hone

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Only got back to where it is last night. Will post something this evening

Ah yes, the joys of working in remote locations!

It makes perfect sense that lather can tone down the aggressive cut of some barber hones making for a finer finish. I experimented with dish soap and lather using it even on my honing progressions to see the effect. Using too much can be a mistake spinning your wheels so to speak. Once I put too much soap on a 3 k and honed 4 like a half hour with minimal progress. I would personally use lather or soap only at the very end after it was already there and it might add just a little umph to your edge.

here are a few pictures of the hone, sorry that the quality isnt great.

It appears to be in pretty good shape.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

It appears to be in pretty good shape.

it was a bit rough when i got it (sort of pockmarked) so i lapped it on my atoma 400. it seems to have mellowed somewhat as i have used it, either that or i am getting to know it.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

it was a bit rough when i got it (sort of pockmarked) so i lapped it on my atoma 400. it seems to have mellowed somewhat as i have used it, either that or i am getting to know it.

I would lap it a bit finer. May make it cut finer I know I restored an old barber hone and lapped it to 1500. Smooth sailing now. Then I treated it to restore some moisture. I forgot I even posted to this thread lol. Thanks for the pix it looks good.

It it probably is getting finer, like burnishing a hard ark. Smooths the cutting particles out and mellows them, in turn it cuts finer or doesn't cut as much. I'm not certain.


Cheers!

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

I would lap it a bit finer. May make it cut finer I know I restored an old barber hone and lapped it to 1500. Smooth sailing now. Then I treated it to restore some moisture. I forgot I even posted to this thread lol. Thanks for the pix it looks good.

It it probably is getting finer, like burnishing a hard ark. Smooths the cutting particles out and mellows them, in turn it cuts finer or doesn't cut as much. I'm not certain.


Cheers!

I would have thought that the hones were hydrophobic rather than hygroscopic, and even if you did put some moisture in that it would just evaporate out again, but that is just me guessing.
I am fairly happy with the finish on the hone, it seems to be working.

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

I would lap it a bit finer. May make it cut finer I know I restored an old barber hone and lapped it to 1500. Smooth sailing now. Then I treated it to restore some moisture. I forgot I even posted to this thread lol. Thanks for the pix it looks good.

It it probably is getting finer, like burnishing a hard ark. Smooths the cutting particles out and mellows them, in turn it cuts finer or doesn't cut as much. I'm not certain.


Cheers!

I would have thought that the hones were hydrophobic rather than hygroscopic, and even if you did put some moisture in that it would just evaporate out again, but that is just me guessing.
I am fairly happy with the finish on the hone, it seems to be working.