Help with barber's hones...

Okay, so I am getting a Swaty in the mail, but just because, I might be buying another. I am also eying DD hones, and all sorts of barber's hones to try then keep or sell so I can figure out what I like for touch ups. Earlier I had asked what hones to buy and people said its personal preference, so for resto and honing I'm probably just getting the Norton set because of value/info out there, or going balls out and buying shaptons off the bat. However, barber's hones are cheap enough that I can **** around buying and reselling till I find what I like. I know that the "grit" is a crap shoot. Anyway, I have a few questions about the darn things in general:
1. Are they consistent throughout? ie, if I by a badly nicked one and lap it down a 1/4 inch, will it still hone right? Mostly for DD and Swaty, as I am sure I will be keeping those, but just in general, were they like natural stones, homogeneous, or do they have a weird finish layer on them?
2. I read somewhere that the 100 series of carborundum hones runs from fine to coarse as numbers increase, is this true?

I think almost all are homogenous. I have never lapped one that was not but I have heard of some that have been destroyed by lapping.

The carbos are a crapshoot. I have never been able to find an index of the numbers. I think I might have to make my own. The lower number carbos are finer but there definitely is not a direct grit to number correlation. I think the 102 is the finest and hardest. The 103 is close. I know I have a 101 but I don't recall it well enough to describe it, other than to say it is definitely not as fine as the 102. BTW, don't try to lap a 102 or 103 with anything finer than a DMTC, and be prepared to sacrifice a significant amount of cutting power from your DMTC to do it. It's best to do it either with a DMTXX or sandpaper. Either way, it will still take quite a while.

Unless you really want the DD, I wouldn't bother with it. It's a nice hone but nothing special considering the premium price they are going for over the last couple of years.

+1 on the DD. I have one that came NOS in the box. Says dry hone on the box. I have to confess that I have never used it. I keep it because it has sentimental value. Most barber hones with chips will have them on the edges and you lap them down anyhow so unless the chips are big enough they shouldn't be an issue. As for the DMT XX, I bought one after ChrisL and Utopian spoke so highly of them and I have not been sorry. They eat a barber hone up. I've heard they are less effective as time and use go on but mine is still an awesome cutter.

The DD I am looking at has a few chips in the middle that looks shallow. So if I lap them out the hone'll lose a significant amount, which was my concern. But it seems that they are consistent throughout, so not an issue.
On another issue, edge chips DON'T matter right?- provided I round off sharp corners and what not. It just looks worse and maybe gets rid of honing area right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by khaos

The DD I am looking at has a few chips in the middle that looks shallow. So if I lap them out the hone'll lose a significant amount, which was my concern. But it seems that they are consistent throughout, so not an issue.
On another issue, edge chips DON'T matter right?- provided I round off sharp corners and what not. It just looks worse and maybe gets rid of honing area right?

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As long as you round the edges to where the razor's edge won't hit anything that might damage it you're fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by khaos

The DD I am looking at has a few chips in the middle that looks shallow. So if I lap them out the hone'll lose a significant amount, which was my concern. But it seems that they are consistent throughout, so not an issue.
On another issue, edge chips DON'T matter right?- provided I round off sharp corners and what not. It just looks worse and maybe gets rid of honing area right?

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What Jimmy says.