Thread: Lathering a barber hone

Ok.... I am getting lost here...

From what I see of this surface tension of water idea is that the surface tension of water will hold the edge up from contact with the hone and therefore creating less resistance, less abrasion.

By adding soap to the mixture the surface tension of the water would be reduced and allowing the edge to contact the hone. Therefore creating more resistance, more abrasion, between the hone and the 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 32t

Ok.... I am getting lost here...

From what I see of this surface tension of water idea is that the surface tension of water will hold the edge up from contact with the hone and therefore creating less resistance, less abrasion.

By adding soap to the mixture the surface tension of the water would be reduced and allowing the edge to contact the hone. Therefore creating more resistance, more abrasion, between the hone and the edge.

Wikipedia defines surface tension as such...
"Surface tension is the elastic tendency of liquids which makes them acquire the least surface area possible. Surface tension is an important property that markedly influences many ecosystems."

When I referred to surface tension, that first sentence is pretty much what I was referencing. Non porous hones tend to have beaded water on it--due to surface tension. For that reason I add a just a little lather to allow the water to spread uniformly on the hone.

It has nothing to do with any change in the drag or resistance of the water during the honing. It only ensures that the hones is uniformly wet over its entire surface.

Here is an image of such an effect from surface tension.

Originally Posted by Utopian

It has nothing to do with any change in the drag or resistance of the water during the honing. It only ensures that the hones is uniformly wet over its entire surface.

This is not in disagreement with what I am thinking.

I am not thinking about the drag of the water while honing but the drag of the stone against the steel.

The water with its surface tension will hold the steel away from the hone. Therefore creating less friction between the hone and the blade.

The addition of soap to the mixture will lessen the surface tension of the water and allow the steel to contact the surface of the hone to create more drag/abrasion of the steel.

Williams. Give the barber hone Williams!

Why punish the hone ?

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Why punish the hone ?

If it is really bad we could douse it in Avon aftershave and set it on fire.