Minimal and cheapest way to maintain an edge.

Hello

I did read a lot recently but still have a few questions.

Let's say I buy a shave ready (really shave ready, honed by someone that knows what he's doing).

I don't want to restore razors (at least for the moment). So when the leather will be useless and the razor will need some honing, will I be ok with simply a 8k slipstone and a 12k to finish?

(IMO there should be a sticky with minimal hardware suggestions like this).

I do plan to get a Norton 4k-8k stone, but for the moment I'm really low on cash.

Thanks

Another question:

What I was talking about above was "refreshing" an edge like Lynn said on the DVD (segment found on Youtube).

After how many "refreshing" does a straight need to be honed, and after how many shaves does a razor need to be refreshed?

I got by for years and years with just a swaty-type barber's hone. You'll probably get a sharper edge with the stones you mentioned but don't forget that there are other costs, such as flattening stones, prep stones, etc. You can probably find a barber's hone on eBay for about $30 and it may be all that you ever need. A good resource for honing product information is The Perfect Edge.

I got a 4 sided pasted strop with 3.0,1.0,0.5,0.25 diamond pastes and use that to refresh my blades between honing which about 3 or 4 months apart. I hone with a DMT 8EE which is a 3 micron diamond plate, that does not have to be lapped, when the blade will not hold an edge for any length of time. I expect a blade to stay very sharp for about 7 shaves YMMV. I like coming off a 0.25 paste and my beard will puncture tires so there you have it. I like the bare essentials and being able to hone reasonably good razors.

Take Care,
Richard

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Originally Posted by Chimensch

I got by for years and years with just a swaty-type barber's hone.

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Was this without any other form of honing or was the barber hone was only between more important honings?

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Originally Posted by cybrok

Was this without any other form of honing or was the barber hone was only between more important honings?

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In 1980, I decided I wanted to learn to use a straight razor. Of course, there was no Internet, so I went to Chicago Cutlery and asked the clerk what I needed. He sold me a new Dovo 5/8 stainless steel razor and a hanging strop, telling me that it was all I needed. My first shave ripped up my face, so I went back to the store. The clerk told me I wasn't stropping enough and sent me away. The razor continued to rip up my face. I went back to the store again, but this time a customer overhead my discussion with the clerk and interrupted to tell me that I needed a hone. The clerk said it was impossible because Dovo razors come shave ready from the factory. The customer said, no, that razor isn't sharp enough, he needs a hone. I bought the barber hone and that solved my problem. I used that razor, barber hone and strop for 28 years until I found SRP and learned how much I didn't know. I've now bought a Norton 4K/8K combination stone, Norton flattening stone and Norton prep stone, for a total of about $110.00. Yes, I think the Norton gives a better edge, but the barber hone edge wasn't bad either.

If you do not damage the edge (i.e. chip or nick it or rust it) you can keep your razor going with only a finishing hone. Whether that be a coticule, natural Chinese 12K (fairly cheap), a Thuringian, a fine barber hone, a Norton or any man-made hone. Some barber hones even have a coarse and a fine side. You don not need any fancy lapping stone for your hone. I use a piece of sandpaper on the kitchen work top.

I have never used a paddle strop but they say you do round the bevel a bit with them so eventually you'll need a hone.

Many of us are straight razor enthusiasts and equipment freaks and some of us(myself included) have more money than sense and keep buying, looking for the holy grail in honing and shaving, which we tend not to find as it is as elusive as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The up side is that we can sell our stuff again on the B/S/T forum.

I'm checking with Tilly for a hone. This should do the trick until I can afford a 4000/8000 stone.

I saw some 8k slipstones at woodcraft.com, but they ask a ridiculous amount of 28$ to ship that tiny stone to Canada :(

I've been doing this off and on since the late '70s and never needed anything more than a barbers hone. I am currently getting ready to restore some razors and that may change. Also Ive never spent more than 10$ for a hone.

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Originally Posted by cybrok

I'm checking with Tilly for a hone. This should do the trick until I can afford a 4000/8000 stone.

I saw some 8k slipstones at woodcraft.com, but they ask a ridiculous amount of 28$ to ship that tiny stone to Canada :(

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I am afraid Tilly is out of business (redtrader99).

I believe I bought the last swaty.

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Originally Posted by Kees

I am afraid Tilly is out of business (redtrader99).

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Almost out of business. I just wrote her and she has a few lithide hones left. I think I will get both.

I got along for my first year or so with nothing but an old Norville Shapleigh razor hone.

If you are going to have someone else do the initial honing as you say, you can easily get by with an inexpensive barber's hone.

like this

Just an idea. Pinnacle Honing Guide - Woodcraft.com

You could get the assortment pack . 15, 5 and .3 micron sharpening film and a piece of glass maybe 10 bucks in all.

I use the 5 and .3 in my ultralight travel kit. They also have a leather strop kit and handy size pieces of hardwood to make a paddle

Just got a few of the last hones Tilly have.

A small one and a larger one for 16$ delivered. Since both seem to be in the same material, I guess I could lap them with each other.

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Originally Posted by cybrok

A small one and a larger one for 16$ delivered. Since both seem to be in the same material, I guess I could lap them with each other.

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Unless you are willing to spring for a lapping stone you will need to use sandpaper on a piece of glass or stone tile to lap your barber hones. If you lap them against each other all you will do is wear out your hones without getting either on of them really flat. To clean up a stone that is worn you need to lap using something that is flatter than the stone in question. A diamond plate of some kind, ie: DMT or Shapton is ideal, but will sprain your budget somewhat (a lot in the case of the Shapton).

Lapping is necessary, but you will probably not have to do it very often as the barber hones are quite hard and generally only used for keeping a razor at an acceptable level of sharpness or for touching up a razor that is "almost there".

Do Tilly's hones usually need a lot of lapping?

What sandpaper grit should I use to get a decent surface?


OR I could bring them to college and use the lapping tables they use to prepare metallographies.

Some new hones need lapping because of a less than perfectly flat surface. For Thuringians which are soft I use 200 followed by 400 grit. However if one needs a lot of work I occasionally start with very coarse cheap and cheerful sandpaper without a declaration of grit size. As soon as I see it is almost there I switch to finer grit.

The barber hones from Tilly would work better if lapped flat but you can use them as is. The only thing you really need to do is to sand the edges down a bit. A sharp edge on a hone is a bad thing for a razor.
Be aware that barber hones are very hard and you would be going thru a lot of coarse sandpaper to get them flat.

Your best bet to maintain an edge is the abrasive pasted paddle strop that was mentioned before. Once that starts to fail then go back to the barber hone.

So, lets continue the conversation.:D

For touch ups, what is better of the 3. A coticule, a norton 8000 or a chinese 12 000?

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Originally Posted by napoleon

So, lets continue the conversation.:D

For touch ups, what is better of the 3. A coticule, a norton 8000 or a chinese 12 000?

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I haven't tried the Chineese 12K, but between the Norton and the Coticule, the coticule is much better IMHO.

The Chinese 12K is a finish hone. I wouldn't call it a touch-up hone. It would take you (literally) hours to touch up a blade even with a slurry. Norton 4K/8K works OK but I haven't used a coticule for comparison.

Where would one get a Chinese 12k? How does one find a good one? I assume they're not actually sold under the name Chinese 12k.

Have a look here Natural Polishing Water Stone - Woodcraft.com

Good prices, and you might have one near you to avoid shipping.

EDIT: Just looked, there is one in Austin. http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/defa...state&state=TX

Cybrok
I have a Norton 4k/8k I cut to smaller hones. I will send you one for the cost of P&P. It's size is 1/4 of the whole original hone and make a good touch up or correcting hone. It will get you out of trouble.

PuFF

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Have a look here Natural Polishing Water Stone - Woodcraft.com

Good prices, and you might have one near you to avoid shipping.

EDIT: Just looked, there is one in Austin. Woodworking tools, supplies, plans, projects, accessories, articles and more - Woodcraft.com

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Less than a mile from my apartment nonetheless.