Thread: Honing cost inflation.

I don't hone for money. But if I were I would change around 40$ for it. Honestly it takes time. When I have honed for others I first inspect the razor. Then I contact the guy who's razor it is. With what I want to do with it. Sometimes I attach pictures. Then I hone it. Usually the bevels are all funky from pasted stropping. Then I'll test it re strop it. Desinfekt it and oil it. Go to the post office mail it. That's can be around 2 hours. And after that I would have to pay 39% in taxes. And if the guy isn't satisfied I'll have to return the money or do it again. Actually 40$ is too little. It just isn't worth it to me at least.

I was very lucky, I found a Watch Shop and Barber Supply shop ran by old Germans near my town. $20 bucks pick it up in a week. After spending over $200 on my razors PLUS being dragged into SRP , my RAD required I learn how to hone. Tons of help, weeks of frustration, one trip to Adrian for a lesson, 6months and a trip to Wisconsin. Utopian holding a knife to my throat to break my bad habits, Randydance working with me for 8hours.
Learning how to hone is priceless. PMs to Glenn. list goes on. I may have spent $1000s learning, but the people I have met .
The great thing about an education is once you have it,
No one can take it from you.
How do you charge for that? Factor in customer preference sharp,keen,mellow,wire brush sharp, they all are differnt and the customer may prefer what you know isnt the best edge.
One guy asked for bevel set and Cr Oxed 50 strokes, followed by 25 FeOx. What kind of edge is that?
That is when it was time for me to walk away from the business model end of it. My hat is off to the guys who do and their loyal customers.

Honestly, I can't imagine making a living from anything SR related without doing a HUGE volume. I have done restores, re-scales, honing for local guys (and one not so local) and sold a few on eBay that I really didn't want hanging around here. Without exception, I did not make the current federal minimum wage. Some extensive work creative work can take 20 hours or so and collect less than $100 and that is before costs (materials and shipping expenses).

I do it to exercise my creative and the enjoyment that provides. Anything funds I garner are plowed back into the hobby. At least I can lie to myself and pretend it isn't costing me as much as it could!

Yes. People will charge whatever others are willing to pay; however, when that limit is reached we will lose many beginners that can not or do not want to hone there own. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. Then again, maybe it is. I have honed for free (except shipping) for some new members in order to help out. I know others have too and I appreciate some of the top people who COULD charge more keeping their fees to a minimum. Although I don't send mine out, it is good to see them trying to keep others in the sport that wouldn't otherwise be able to.

If people can't afford $30 every few months for honing then they probably can't afford to shave at all and would struggle to buy shampoo to stop their beards stinking.

Originally Posted by Steel

I have honed for free (except shipping) for some new members in order to help out.

I honed for free and repeatedly got stuck with razors arriving with postage due and no return postage. Free honing wasn't free for me. Still, it was a learning experience--both about razors and people. Some are good and some aren't.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I honed for free and repeatedly got stuck with razors arriving with postage due and no return postage. Free honing wasn't free for me. Still, it was a learning experience--both about razors and people. Some are good and some aren't.

Oh. I'm not talking about "free honing" for everyone. I just helped a few that seemed really interested in this hobby. Both friends and people from the forum here. Never had a problem.