Thread: What makes on a "Honemeister"?

From a recent thread on the B/S/T forum:

I don't think that anyone who has been honing razors for under a year (like me) can consider themself a honemeister regardless of the number of razors that they have honed.

This prompted me to ask: What are the qualifications to be a "Honemeister"?

In the business sense, someone who gets paid to hone a razor and has repeat customers.

Dangerous,

I've wondered the same thing. Perhaps it is similar to "artist" when it is an honorific accorded by others who are in awe of the talents exhibited by a certain person. Now I can hone a mean pocket knife and with it remove the hairs on my forearm I've missed at my mostly fruitless attempts to hone a razor. Am I a knife-honemeister? Not in my wildest dreams. Will I ever be? Only if someone offers an online course and I can print out my own certificate of meisterhood.

I too await what others will say about the makings and namings of a honemeister.

breathlessly turning blue, Bruce

I think that a honemeister is one who has extensive experience honing razors of different steel composition, grinds (wedges, full hollow, etc), and blade profiles (wedges). A honemeister would also have extensive experience honing razors with at least minor damage including warps, chips, worn spine etc and would probably have experience regrinding razors when it is necessary. It takes so many test shaves to test different variables like how different steels react to different razors that I don't think that I think that it would take at least a few years to reach this status. Furthermore, I think that the status of honemeister is not something that one can rightfully bestow upon one's self, it is a title that is given by others. Just my .02

Actually a generous bribe to one of the blabbermouths on the forum will convey upon you that status or any other you wish.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Actually a generous bribe to one of the blabbermouths on the forum will convey upon you that status or any other you wish.

Oh we can talk you up alright. You wanna be a honemeister? We'll just let it be known.

X

Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

I think that a honemeister is one who has extensive experience honing razors of different steel composition, grinds (wedges, full hollow, etc), and blade profiles (wedges). A honemeister would also have extensive experience honing razors with at least minor damage including warps, chips, worn spine etc and would probably have experience regrinding razors when it is necessary. It takes so many test shaves to test different variables like how different steels react to different razors that I don't think that I think that it would take at least a few years to reach this status. Furthermore, I think that the status of honemeister is not something that one can rightfully bestow upon one's self, it is a title that is given by others. Just my .02

this would probably be the best reference... but, then again, this description is very similar to that of a professional razor restorer... i would assume a honemeister can be a honemeister without mastering rebuilding a razor.... re grinding it, etc... after all, HONE is the first word...

i would then assume a honemeister would be someone who can hone any blade regardless of grind, profile, curvature (smiling blades), tip (spike, round, french, etc..) has all the proper tools to do so, and can do so while schooling newbies on a forum, without even having to give the honing action a second though, and never miss the goal of utmost shaveability... unless of course the razor is just a POS, in which case... nobody could hone it

Anybody care for a Chuck Norris hijack at this point?

Well in the old days obtaining a Master status in a specific craft wasn't such a mystery, was it? In principle it would be possible to set up a system along those lines, but I don't think it would be worthwhile. Unless we really want to get serious about this straight razor thingy... beyond a hobby.

You have to be a sharp person with an extreme interest in dull things.

Originally Posted by Howard

You have to be a sharp person with an extreme interest in dull things.

Best comment ever. LOL