Thread: Hone confusion

Originally Posted by Montgomery

Thanks again!I think that maybe the idea that is starting to form is that there are an awful lot more variables than just the grit of the stone. In theory, the fineness of the honing depends on not the grit size, but the contact between the stone and the steel. I think we see this with the older hones, I understand that barbers often honed razors on hones much coarser than those used by the members on this forum, and many got good results.

I think that the grit shape is important. Coticule garnets are pretty well acknowledged by microscopy to be 4-8k. However, unlike many quartz abrasive stones, the garnets are almost round.

Barber hones have been postulated to be most effective after wearing in/burnishing with hard steel, because the coarse 'plates' of abrasive are flattened on the surface and perform as a considerably finer grit than they really are. That's why lapping and refreshing a traditional barbers hone sometimes doesn't work very well, fresh, coarse grit is exposed and has to be worn in for better performance.

Cheers, Steve