Thread: Barber hone

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but I have an old Pike barber hone that i havent used yet. I need to lap it first but what is the best grit to use W&D paper?

Originally Posted by gary haywood

If your polishing you would'nt want a fast cutting barber hone in case you was to over hone i'm just guessing /how many laps do you do for final polish on barbers hone about 5 to 10?

For sharpening a dull razor after a coarser hone? It depends on which hone is used before the barber hones and each razor varies, too. On dull razors, I use barber hones after the DMT EE 8k; so it might take 10 to as many as 50 laps (or more). After something finer, maybe 5 to 10 will be good. Just go until you notice a nice improvement. This is where the learning curve comes in.

For just maintaining a sharp razor that needs a touch-up, 5 laps is usually enough on the majority of my razors and barber hones.

Originally Posted by baldy

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but I have an old Pike barber hone that i havent used yet. I need to lap it first but what is the best grit to use W&D paper?

125 to 325 is an ok starting point. Some like to finish-lap up to 1000 or even higher.

Originally Posted by baldy

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but I have an old Pike barber hone that i havent used yet. I need to lap it first but what is the best grit to use W&D paper?

I havent lapped any of my barber hones and yet they do the trick!

I was given this Boss Barbers Hone by a friend of mine, after reading this thread I am going to give it a try, should I use it wet or dry, and if wet is Lather the thing or just plain water?

I get best results with a thin lather on a Swaty, and with plain water on a Frictionite. Try it both ways and see what your hone (and/or technique) likes best.

The Dubl Duck combination hones came with instructions saying that dry was ok too. I've had several "open-pore" barber hones try to load up when used dry.

The Boss is a good one, as stated before its a matter of preference. Try it in each way and see what you like.

i just used water when mine came it felt greasy so i'm sure it had been used with lather
i lapped mine on p600 wet and dry just to refresh it surface as it was already flat i dout it will ever need doing agian. i find the size perfect whats the shave like of these barber hones? compared to natural hones ?

Originally Posted by gary haywood

i just used water when mine came it felt greasy so i'm sure it had been used with lather
i lapped mine on p600 wet and dry just to refresh it surface as it was already flat i dout it will ever need doing agian. i find the size perfect whats the shave like of these barber hones? compared to natural hones ?

Did lapping make a difference Gary? mines very odd, almost glass like with the odd sparkle here and there, its flatter than a witches T!t tho!, imagine how many times you gotta run a razor over one to dish the centre out....

Originally Posted by tat2Ralfy

Did lapping make a difference Gary? mines very odd, almost glass like with the odd sparkle here and there, its flatter than a witches T!t tho!, imagine how many times you gotta run a razor over one to dish the centre out....

I've got two barber hones my other one is brand new 3 line anerican hone its the same brownish colour as my pike and they both have speckles like you describe and are very smooth feel the older pike hone once i'd lapped it it looked like my brand new one that has never been used even i hav'nt used it. My used pike hone looked shinier now it is more matt looking i think its done it good and it works . on my set of instructions it say rub surace with emery paper to refresh the hone so i think it would'nt harm to refresh the surface thats all i did. What i did last night ralf was hone on coticule with slurry then i hit the barber hone to refine with about 20 laps and the razor shaved realy well slight room for improvemant i will now add coticule water and compare i will post over a .be

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I've got two barber hones my other one is brand new 3 line anerican hone

This barber hone is course one . you can use to set bevels.