Thread: Hone Donations?

Does anyone have a used hone they don't or barely use any more? Cash is tight and I'd love to start learning on a couple eBay razors I bought, but I can't really afford the Norton 4000/8000 at the moment (mebbe I should put it on my Xmas list!) I was just wondering if someone has a spare or an old one that might help in the learning process.

By the way, thanks for all the great helpful hints. This has been the single biggest resource I've found to assist me in getting started up to this point and I'm sure with all the enthusiasm everyone has, the ART of straight razor shaving will not be lost. I plan to teach my son just as I have learned as soon as he's old enough to shave.

Tou might want to check out the barber hones on www.redtrader.com

Correction to link: Red Trader 99

Ryan is referring to "Tilly". Her real name is Diana Till.

Anton and Diana Till bought out the inventory of the Amerian Hone Company in Monrovia Iowa a couple of years ago.
The employee of that firm that had been making the hones passed away. The recipes for the hones was found but the "process" was never written down!
To date, no one has figured out how she did it. What molds, pressure, temp and duration was used for each of the hones. The company made hones for a large number of companies. This is evidenced by the "stamps" that the company used in the molds. Tilly has sold those stamps on Ebay over the years.
On Ebay her seller name is "redtrader99". Her email is redtrader99@fastmail.fm

She is good people. Just tell her what kind of hones you want, coarse to remove nicks, medium and fine, and finishing hone.
Tilly also has Linen for sale.


Hope this helps,

Great lady to deal with and really fair prices. Fun e-mails too.

Tony

Thanks for the info guys, I've sent an email to the address posted in this thread. Hopefully I can get a good starter stone or even a kit for a reasonable price.

I'd say you might need two or three. Establishing a good shaving edge seems to depend on a few different grits to get the teeth just right. i might suggest a medium, fine and ultra fine would be best. IMO of course. I'm speaking from a waterstone perspective and haven't gottten the knack of the barber hones yet, but that doesn't change the mechanics of the steel.

X