Thread: What to buy and how to "Touch Up a Razor"

So it looks like I am a straight razor addict, and would like to purchase something to correctly keep my blades sharp. Not to keen on having to send them out for honing ever 3-4 months. Don;t really know where to start. I have heard about Barber hones and pasted balsa strops. What does everyone recommend to purchase to keep blades sharp without sending them out or having a rookie messing them up.

Any links and or videos on how to do this is also appreciated.

Thanks,
Greazy

Im no expert but you cant really go wrong with naniwas.
Or you could just go crazy and buy everything cause lets face it that's gonna happen eventually

Originally Posted by GreazyThumbs

So it looks like I am a straight razor addict, and would like to purchase something to correctly keep my blades sharp. Not to keen on having to send them out for honing ever 3-4 months. Don;t really know where to start. I have heard about Barber hones and pasted balsa strops. What does everyone recommend to purchase to keep blades sharp without sending them out or having a rookie messing them up.

Any links and or videos on how to do this is also appreciated.

Thanks,
Greazy

Here's a link for you by our very own GSSIXGUN (Glen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP-GUeN_yBs

If you read through the hones and honing forums you will discover everything you ever wanted to know about exactly what you seek.

There are many types of hones and types within types and sub-types and the guys will explain that all to you.

Everyone has their favorites and price and pedigree affects many purchasers.

I could probably fill up 100 pages on this but I'll leave that to those who follow.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Here's a link for you by our very own GSSIXGUN (Glen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP-GUeN_yBs

Link is dead??

My request is because I don;t want to invest a ton of money into all sorts of lapping stones and all other sorts of other really expensive stones. Looking for the recommended solution for just touching up a razor when it starts to dull. Want to extend my razors life for as long as possible before having to send it out a professional hone.

The main options are;
-pasted strop, however be careful what paste you use. They are not equal.
-barber hone. Again they are not equal, but have been reviewed a lot.
-high grit hone like a Naniwa 12k
Everything requires a good technique. There is no easy peasy touch up. No matter what there is a high likelihood you will mess up at least one edge and have to have it rehoned by someone that knows what they are doing. All of that is ok. The vast majority of us have done that at least once. Probably the most inexpensive is the pasted strop. If you get a fabric only strop and paste one side with a good for razors chromium oxide or cerium or ferrous oxide it will go a long way. The 12K Naniwa is easy to find and not a ton of money. Honestly a 12K, a pasted strop and a mail box is all anyone needs. However you can experiment and try all kinds of stuff if you want.

Originally Posted by GreazyThumbs

My request is because I don;t want to invest a ton of money into all sorts of lapping stones and all other sorts of other really expensive stones. Looking for the recommended solution for just touching up a razor when it starts to dull. Want to extend my razors life for as long as possible before having to send it out a professional hone.

I can't get Cudarunner's link to run, either. Try going to youtube.com and search
"gssixgun." That will bring up 50+ videos from Glen. Watching a few of them will
be time well spent.

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

I can't get Cudarunner's link to run, either. Try going to youtube.com and search
"gssixgun." That will bring up 50+ videos from Glen. Watching a few of them will
be time well spent.

Try copying and pasting the link. I don't know why they don't sometimes work

Or as Paul said go to YouTube punch in GSSIXGUN BARBER and you'll find it.

I used nothing but a barber hone for 5 years. For the last ten years I've played with a lot of other hones but a set of those original razors have continued to be maintained with nothing but barber hones. They still shave just fine.

If you want a new hone, you can do that same maintenance with a Naniwa 12k or a coticule or a variety of other naturals.