Thread: Taping the spine and barber hones for touch up

So I have some barber hones but never use them. The fact that I tape the spine on all of the razors I hone would require me to tape just to do a minor touch up. I was shaving with a razor that I felt could use a bit of TLC. My normal routine would be that after the first pass I would wipe it off and do a few strokes on my felt hanging strop with the diamond spray before the second pass. Alternatively I might hit it some passes on my flatbed hone with chrom ox.

I thought about my long Swaty and all of the posts where guys say that all you need to maintain a sharp razor is a barber hone. I decided to quit being a lazy slug and got the tape. A few swipes on the Swaty, peeled the tape off and did the second pass with a much improved blade.

On another recent occasion I had bought a new razor that came pre honed and shaved well but I thought that it could be just a little better. I had contacted the maker and found out that he had indeed used one piece of electrical tape when he honed it. I had just received a 00 Frictionite and wanted to give that a whirl so the next time I got the new blade out to shave I taped the spine and did a few passes on the 00. Following the label on the side of the hone I used one side first and then the other. Those few strokes really improved the comfort and smoothness of the edge.

So even if I am stating the obvious what I'm saying is that if you are one of those unfortunate souls like myself who feel it necessary to tape the spine in your routine honing don't let that stop you from using the barber hone. Those little guys really work.

And for the rest of us more fortunate souls, just
swipe and shave

- Scott

I'm glad you finally put that Swaty to use. Barber hones are quick, convenient, and effective even if you need to tape. I guess for some the hardest part of taping the spine for a touch up might just be finding the tape and scissors.

I guess for some the hardest part of taping the spine for a touch up might just be finding the tape and scissors.

That's why I keep my razors in my work room (AKA. the dungeon)

My problem with barber hones is this. Before i use it i check the edge with 100x and after using barber hones i check again 100x.
shaving improves noticeable but i can't see differences on the edge. makes me a little confuse.
i use no more then 2-4 strokes on C mon usually

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

My problem with barber hones is this. Before i use it i check the edge with 100x and after using barber hones i check again 100x.
shaving improves noticeable but i can't see differences on the edge. makes me a little confuse.
i use no more then 2-4 strokes on C mon usually

All I currently have is 30x in an old B&L stereoscope and in an eye loupe. If I ever get the extra $ I want to buy a Proscope seen here.

I think the best way to examine and compare an edge from one progression to the other would be to take a photo at each stage and compare them side by side.

I find it difficult to remember what the differences are between progressions just looking at them through the microscope.

Edit; To be honest my main use for magnification is to check the edge for micro chips. Maybe if I had the higher power lenses I would concern myself with the scratch pattern but not with what I now have.

I have a 3 line american hone i won it on ebay it belonged to a barber but sadly he passed away and never used it so mine is brand new but same as you jimmy i have never used it i have lapped it i have so many coti and now naniwa 12k its choosing which one to use for touch ups i also have the usaul paste. I f your edge edge is not performing would you normally go to ch.5 for a thew laps and if that did'nt do the trick then go to say barber hone or coti 12k etc. did you use paste after barber hone and whats the egde like to say your coticule if you had of used that for touching up edge.

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I have a 3 line american hone i won it on ebay it belonged to a barber but sadly he passed away and never used it so mine is brand new but same as you jimmy i have never used it i have lapped it i have so many coti and now naniwa 12k its choosing which one to use for touch ups i also have the usaul paste. I f your edge edge is not performing would you normally go to ch.5 for a thew laps and if that did'nt do the trick then go to say barber hone or coti 12k etc. did you use paste after barber hone and whats the egde like to say your coticule if you had of used that for touching up edge.

Gary, the "ch.5" ? I don't understand your meaning. If you're referring to 0.5 diamond paste the answer is maybe. In general I have gotten more razors so often that I always have a backlog to hone. I try them after I hone them and if they aren't there yet I may resort to paste or diamond spray .... or chrom ox in between the first and second pass.

I shave with so many different razors that I haven't had to touch one up from using it a lot. Now what I have been doing lately is going back to razors that I honed when I first started out. Some that could have been better honed to begin with and playing around with them on barber hones and or a four sides paddle strop.

I'm finding that those things do work and work well given a chance. There appears to be a learning curve with those as well. At least for me. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks and I am no exception.

I'm always playing around with new hones and in the last 4 years i have never let a razor get dull as i try them on new hones not giving them time to get dull i hone razors up no probs but i have no experiance with touching up razors i should use one untill it deteriates then try refreshing with one of my finishing hones or my barbers hone.

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I'm always playing around with new hones and in the last 4 years i have never let a razor get dull as i try them on new hones not giving them time to get dull i hone razors up no probs but i have no experiance with touching up razors i should use one untill it deteriates then try refreshing with one of my finishing hones or my barbers hone.

That is what I am playing around with. I used to avoid the barber hones because I was too lazy to throw a piece of tape on the spine. Now I am giving them a try and finding that the great reputation they have is well deserved. I am fooling around with pastes now too. The diamond spray has been great IME but I didn't like the pasted paddle. Now I am fooling with the paddle and finding that the problem was probably my lack of expertise adn the pasted paddle is a formidable tool. Fun to play around with all of the tools we have to work with.