Thread: Let's Get Small

I've noticed that certain old-time razor honing set-ups tended to be on smaller side, along the lines of 4" x 2" or 5" x 2", whereas the current trend is more towards larger stones like 8" x 3". What's to account for this?

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

I've noticed that certain old-time razor honing set-ups tended to be on smaller side, along the lines of 4" x 2" or 5" x 2", whereas the current trend is more towards larger stones like 8" x 3". What's to account for this?

Even 1" by 4" and other lengths.
My SWAG is that a guy had one razor he could refresh occasionally and he knew how to do it. Not like us with a selection and trying to hone and shave with each one that comes in the the door. The old timers often had a guy come through town or the local barber who would hone a blade that needed it for a small fee.
JMO
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

Even 1" by 4" and other lengths.
My SWAG is that a guy had one razor he could refresh occasionally and he knew how to do it. Not like us with a selection and trying to hone and shave with each one that comes in the the door. The old timers often had a guy come through town or the local barber who would hone a blade that needed it for a small fee.
JMO
~Richard

That's how it was in Puerto Rico when I was growing up. He will come around in a little truck with all the equipment. My grandmother used to own a beauty salon and she will also straight shave male clients. The guy will show up every couple of weeks and my grandmother just handed him the razors and scissors and to work he went.

You couldn't missed him, he used to play this loud whistle with a unique sound, you knew it was him a mile away.

Good memories!

Originally Posted by hrfdez

That's how it was in Puerto Rico when I was growing up. He will come around in a little truck with all the equipment. My grandmother used to own a beauty salon and she will also straight shave male clients. The guy will show up every couple of weeks and my grandmother just handed him the razors and scissors and to work he went.

You couldn't missed him, he used to play this loud whistle with a unique sound, you knew it was him a mile away.

Good memories!

Would be incredibly cool to see what tools he used.

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

I've noticed that certain old-time razor honing set-ups tended to be on smaller side, along the lines of 4" x 2" or 5" x 2", whereas the current trend is more towards larger stones like 8" x 3". What's to account for this?

Most of the "old-time razor honing set-ups" were smaller because they were quite sufficient for the task. The Nortons, Naniwas, Shaptons, etc. that we are using are not made to serve as razor hones. They are made to be tool and knife hones, and for those purposes they need to be larger.

Originally Posted by mikael86

Would be incredibly cool to see what tools he used.

Indeed. I was a kid, so I didn't really know what to look for at the time. I know he had several stones and buffing wheels he powered with a bicycle crank.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Most of the "old-time razor honing set-ups" were smaller because they were quite sufficient for the task. The Nortons, Naniwas, Shaptons, etc. that we are using are not made to serve as razor hones. They are made to be tool and knife hones, and for those purposes they need to be larger.

This has sort of been my thinking leading up to my query. Razor honing being such a small share of the present market, there is no desire from manufacturers to market a format for razors right now. Still, I've read comments to the effect that "the ideal razor hone should be around as wide as the blade is long," or something like that. Me, with hand-holding, I'm starting think that the length of the razor hone should be just a bit longer than the length of the blade.

Barbers could easily carry a small hone in their shirt pocket or have a small hone on the counter.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Barbers could easily carry a small hone in their shirt pocket or have a small hone on the counter.

My barber had his in his smock pocket. A little lather, couple of laps, strop, next!

Yes, my current barber carried his the same way, until the laws made him change to disposable blades.