Edlis barber hone directions
I just got one of the NOS Edlis hones that pop up on eBay frequently. As I live near Pittsburgh and have an Edlis razor, I couldn't resist. :)
Anyway, the directions have a few interesting things in them, so I thought I'd type them up and post them here.
"Lay the razor blade flat on hone (with back of blade nearest the end) and move lengthwise of hone [sic]. At the end of this stroke, roll the blade on its back and reverse the motion. If the edge is very dull, 15 to 20 strokes may be needed; usually, however, 5 to 10 strokes will give the desired result.
In Honing, as in Stropping, always let the final strokes be short and light. This insures the nicest alignment of the minute teeth, which determines the shaving condition of the edge.
This Hone may be used Dry, or with Lather, Oil or Water. As the condition of the blade to be honed, the quality of the edge desired, and the manner of honing, are the governing factors, it is left to the user to determine which way of using the hone is best for his purpose. This Hone is not injured by use with any of the applications named. If it is desired to freshen the surface after long usage, a thorough washing with warm water and a sponge is recommended. To procure still greater abrasiveness, rub surface lightly with very fine emery paper.
To Hone Safety Razor Blades, a Blade Holder or 'Stropper' is required. With this, the same directions apply as to the straight Razor."
The things I found interesting are:
- The lack of reference to lapping or flattening.
- The admonition to use short, light strokes to finish. We talk about light strokes, but not really short strokes.
- The mention of "teeth," which we debate the existence of.
- The reference to making the hone "coarser" by lapping it with emery paper.
I also got a kick out of the description of the honing stroke, which has to be the most confusing I've ever read. :)
Josh