Thread: Lapping my Swatty

Making my first foray into lapping I was amazed at how much my Swatty needed. I got this from an old barber in Newark, NJ near twenty years ago. I did the name side in about half an hour and have been working on the flip side which is worse for at least that long.

Is there a correct side to use or do you fellows use both sides of this type of hone? Is one side different from the other in terms of grit?

Regards,

Jimmy

You're going to get different opinions here but you are getting mine first. There is an image floating around SRP of an instruction sheet for a Swaty Alumin. Click here. Then scroll down till you find the two Swaty images.

Now the problem is, I've have never been able to find out what the hell an Alumin is. Personally, I do not think those instructions address most Swaty hones as all six of them that I own feel the same on both sides. I have both two and three line Swatys as well as a three line that is 8 inches long. None of them seem to have any difference between the two sides.

Anyway, that instruction sheet says that the name side is "sharper" (finer) than the back side and so you should hone on the back side first for half hollow or thick razors followed by the front side. Thinner razors should only be honed on the finer side.

Some of my Swatys have been lapped and some have not. I have found the unlapped ones to be borderline useless because they are not perfectly flat. As you have lapped yours, you know how non-flat they can be. You will probably notice that you lapped hone no longer looks like it did before you deflowered it. Before lapping it, the surface probably had a uniform chocolate brown color. After lapping, the color is likely to be lighter and a bit mottled. I don't know if you ruined it or not but it will certainly work better after you lap it.

It is my belief that you can use either side because I believe the two sides are identical. It certainly won't hurt to do touch-ups (the sole purpose of a Swaty) following the instructions and assuming the two sides to be different as long as you keep your total pass count to a minimum. You could do a micro-pyramd by doing 2 on the back and 3 on the front, or 1 on the back and 4 on the front. As long as the stone is flat it will work fine.

Good luck with it.

As a mini thread hijack, does anyone actually own an "Alumin" Swaty???

Many thanks for the informative reply. The barber I got this from was in his seventies and still cutting hair. He kept a Swaty in the pocket of his barber's smock and would touch up a razor with it if he felt it was needed. I have just gotten a Norton 250/1000 and a 4000/8000 so this Swaty will be my 'finishing stone' until I get something more suitable.

Originally Posted by Slant-Fan

this Swaty will be my 'finishing stone' until I get something more suitable.

I said that a couple of years back. I still don't have anything "more suitable"
Be it pasted leather, or anything the Swaty works well and it convenient for just doing finishing and touch-ups right at the shaving sink.

It is my belief that you can use either side because I believe the two sides are identical. It certainly won't hurt to do touch-ups (the sole purpose of a Swaty) following the instructions and assuming the two sides to be different as long as you keep your total pass count to a minimum. You could do a micro-pyramd by doing 2 on the back and 3 on the front, or 1 on the back and 4 on the front. As long as the stone is flat it will work fine.

I have been using only wedges and 1/4 hollows and I have found that 4-5 passes on the fine side is usually enough to get a razor going again. I have not been using the coarse side at all for touch ups, however I may need to in the future.

So do either of you believe that your Swatys differ in coarseness between the two sides?

Originally Posted by Utopian

Now the problem is, I've have never been able to find out what the hell an Alumin is.

Something related to aluminium? I noticed that my Swaty has these tiny specs on it that could be tiny tiny pieces of aluminium or something similar.

Originally Posted by Utopian

So do either of you believe that your Swatys differ in coarseness between the two sides?

No not that Ive tried the back

I believe the bottom part of the hone is coarser. That is what the 3 line swaty instructions say. I can't say that I have ever honed a razor on the coarse side and noted much difference though.

I have two 3 line swatys (with brown color) and with no difference in grit on both sides.