Thread: A Honing Lesson from my barber

So today I took my rock and steel to the barber shop. My barber had agreed to give me some lessons in honing, and so I took him up on it.

It wasn't earth shattering, what he taught me--he focused on technique, strokes and pressure and whatnot. It helped me, indeed, but there isn't a lot I can share here except for some facts about honing Kamisori.

He raised a HEAVY slurry on his Kiita, really digging the nagura in there, and started to hone. First off, he said you start with your body position--the hone on a table, your body centered above it with your eyes aligned with the center of the hone (which should be nice and long). This position helps regulate the length and proportion of your strokes.

Put the razor on the hone at a slight angle, handle leading, Omote ("flat" side, NO kanji side, etc) down. Place the first two fingers of your left hand in the hollow of the blade ("ura" or Kanji side up) and put pressure on the blade--not a lot, but some. The right hand on the handle is only for balance--no pressure at all from the right hand. In that position, do about TEN back and forth strokes--Up and down. Then, flip the razor (Kanji side DOWN now) and do ONE spine leading stroke.

If the razor needs more sharpening, continue that pattern until it's done.

My barber says he can tell a good edge by looking. He insists you go PAST mirrored until it looks a little dark--black? He also says the HHT is a good test...

SO, I trust his skill in the maintenance of edges. I've shaved with a few of his edges, blades he's used for decades, and they are all exceptionally good. Smooth and sharp. Of course, all of his edges would have been MAINTAINED, I doubt he's done much bevel setting, (But I could be wrong...He does sharpen other people' blades, scissors too, and he says they are often in terrible shape...).

So that is how I will hone Kamisori from now on. No controversy for me--he says it, I will do it, and gladly.

Oh, and one more thing. He said when I hone three razors to his satisfaction, he'll give me his Kiita (Which cost more than $1000 40 years ago...it's at least 12"x3"x2". HUGE)...So practice time is here!!!!

That's awesome - the whole thing! The barber taking time, and offering a prize for satisfaction - Can I send in 3 razors?

Even though you described it quite well, I would love to see some pictures of the position of the fingers and razor....

That's a great story Grasshopper! Thanks for sharing. The prise at the end would only be in a dream! Good luck.

Fantastic! Sounds like a lovely chap. I suggest you send three razors off to Lynn, quick as you can. That rock can be yours within a fortnight!

He is a great guy. This lesson was actually only a small part of the day--it was a really, really good day at the barbershop, and I'm writing it all up on my blog as we speak.

I'll work on some pictures, I happen to have a few kamisori that need honing so it'll be a good time to do it.

Great story Jim. You're a lucky guy to be working with him.

Yeah, a great story. I also got some instruction from my barber but nothing as significant as this. I'm a little confused though. Ten strokes up and down and then flip it? Does this mean one stroke blade leading, one stroke spine leading, up to ten? Also, (and I'm revealing some ignorance here) what it Kamisor? What is Kiita?

That is nice barber you have in there Jim. Good luck getting that stone. I am sure you can do it.

Thanks guys, it was a really fun day. In case you didn't read my blog, he also gave me another Iwasaki that he had forgotten he had...incredible, this man's generosity.

Originally Posted by leadduck

Yeah, a great story. I also got some instruction from my barber but nothing as significant as this. I'm a little confused though. Ten strokes up and down and then flip it? Does this mean one stroke blade leading, one stroke spine leading, up to ten? Also, (and I'm revealing some ignorance here) what it Kamisor? What is Kiita?

Yep, edge leading then spine leading, back and forth without leaving the stone. Then you flip the razor and do one spine leading stroke. This is only for the Japanese style razors, the Kamisori, because they have an assymetrical blade and bevel. I wouldn't try it with your regular old straights...

Kiita is a type of natural Japanese whetstone, very very good for fine edged blades. Kamisori is the Japanese style razor, like this:

Thank you very much for sharing the lessons that this generous barber gave you. I am going to try his procedure as described, although I do not have any Japanese stones. The principles sound as though they would work for any water hone that raises a slurry. Do you think it might work using a large coticule, or a long Thuringian? One thing I found unusual was the single reverse stroke with the spine leading. Is this stroke to remove a burr or wire edge? I have not encountered one (to my knowledge, anyway) while honing straight razors before. I mostly use a coticule, which might explain it. Thanks again!