Thread: Escher as a touch-up stone

Originally Posted by pjrage

The whole barber hone thing confuses me. If you've finished an edge on say an escher or nakayama or even pastes, and then you hit the barber hone, doesn't it bring that finished edge down to the barber hone's finish level instead of whatever it was at?

That is, if you finish an edge on the escher, love the edge, then it starts to dull, you do your 3-5 strokes on the barber hone, is it then exactly the same edge as it was when you first finished it on the escher? Or is it a *little* worse? Noticeably different but still OK?

Good question, and I've had the same thoughts. That's actually why the prospect of touching up on an escher than a barber hone appeals to me more.

I thought of that too, we need Utopian's input here. He know's a quite a bit about them.
I kept one small Escher out with my Barber hone's just for that reason. I think the Barber's hone is smoother, making it a higher grit than an Escher. When I finish honing a blade, and the Escher is going to be the final polisher, I do 15 strokes. If I'm touching up with a Barber's hone, I do 3-5, so why couldn't you touch up with and Escher? These old school Barber's had these Escher's and Barber hones, so why did they use the Barber hone?
We definitely need some more input on this one. Now I'm curious.

Originally Posted by pjrage

That is, if you finish an edge on the escher, love the edge, then it starts to dull, you do your 3-5 strokes on the barber hone, is it then exactly the same edge as it was when you first finished it on the escher? Or is it a *little* worse? Noticeably different but still OK?

Barber hones will do the job and your edge will be sharper then escher etc. user have to know no more then 3-5 strokes needs to be done. Not every barber hones will do the same job. check pictures and there is couple more out there. i have used from left to right 2 and last one i just got it. haven't test it yet.left to right cmon,Gem, and GEm hones. 2 hones have 2 sides. check picture. hope this helps.

So, Sham, if the barber hone leaves a sharper edge, do you use it every single time you hone a new razor, after your escher or nakayama or whatever finishing hone you use?

If so, I'm surprised I've never heard this before, and if not, why not if it leaves a better edge? If it doesn't leave a better edge then why use it ever, at all, even for touchups? Only for the speed and ease of use?

usually you use barber hone when your blade starts to pull. They are (yellow side )very very fast cutters. As you feel your blade pulling go head use barber hone and that edge will come back in better sharpness. Now please don't overdone this if you do more then 5 strokes that edge brakes down. i have test this.

i have check edge after escher etc and barber hone. 100x magnification. barber hones will make edge sharper how , why i don't know. if you have one try it you will see how sharp it gets.
Personally i don't do even 5 strokes ( i don't like too sharp) only 2 strokes that is it.

I think i need to explain a little more. Better edge is different then sharper edge.
edge comes out from escher ,nakayama etc is better ,will last longer, but not as sharp as barber hone edge.
remember when you use barber hone edge is already shave ready condition you just need a little more sharpness that is it. Barber hone will do that job.hope this is clear now.if not let me know.

I'm still not clear. I do understand what you are saying about making it sharper, though.

So, do you use your barber hone for 2 strokes after you finishing honing a new blade and finishing on your escher or nakayama? If not, why not?

i don't use barber hone after escher or nakyama. That edge will be too sharp. as soon as it touches your face it will cut. i use barber hone only when i feel blade starts to pull.then 2 strokes and shave.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

There is another easier way.
It is to use a good barber hone.

BIG +1. I've got myself a little 2-sided barber hone, and it's fantastic. The advantage to the 2-sided ones is that the "rough" side is there for a slightly more aggressive touch-up if you've let a razor go a little to far, or if you've done something stupid like cut your strop and the edge needs a little more help.

On the very good advice of several people around here, I only do 3-5 laps on the smooth side when the blade starts to tug a bit. 2-3 on the rough first if I'm correcting for my own stupidity or clumsiness.

The other advantage is that they are MUCH cheaper. You can pick up a nice one that needs nothing more than a good lapping on ebay for $10-$30. Mine was a no-name, but very good quality, and only cost me $30 including the shipping.

As I understand it, any high-grit/fine polishing stone can be used for touchs ups. Or am I mistaken?

The thing with barber hones is 1.) they are small and light, as they were designed for just this use and 2) I get the feeling that they are kind of like the Spyderco hones or the Chinese 12k in that a big part of the edge they impart comes from how finely they are lapped. My "Itsapeech" is smooth as glass, and it has left a VERY smooth edge the few times I have tried it out. Again, I could be mistaken...this is just from my very limited experience.