Thread: My Honing

I've just read the whole sequence for the third time - During the bevel creation you describe the strokes on the 4k norton going in diagonal from heel to point, this was my first method of sharpening after I'd read Dr Moss's guide and I'd just sent an email off to randydance and I asked the question as to why heel to point and not point to heel , question answered :-) .. It's very much a coinsidence but my collection of hones & wetstones seems very much like what you use and my method albiet crude and uninformed is similar to what you've described here . I have been treating the whole honing skill as one stage "get the razor sharp " .... This thread has been amazingly informative and given me a good prospective to look at the honing in the stages you mentioned , I was on the norton last night and I have to say I don't like trying the X pattern out on it .. I much prefer the barber hones for this , incidentally my 2 belgian blue & yellow coticules are barber hone size .. great for the final polish

stay tuned , this time next year or the year after or ...... somewhere down th eline I'll be hopfully be giving the insight to honing the the newbies ..

cheers ! Garry

All,

I've enjoyed reading your discussion of honing. All of these great discussions are helping me solidify what I will need to do to hone my razor when I receive all my equipment.

If I may intrude a moment and ask a question, however, I cannot find on the internet the "barber hones," or "barbers hone" that gets mentioned on this site. Are these devices still sold at retail? A search for both products on Google turns up a few discussion boards, but no identifiable products.

I've found the Norton's and the Blegian blue stones. Is barbers hone a generic reference to these whetstones?

Thanks for your reply.

Here is a honing thought. The pyramid works really well on my 3" wide Norton however my 12k stone is 2 1/4" so how would you do the pyramid on that?

Originally Posted by emerson

If I may intrude a moment and ask a question, however, I cannot find on the internet the "barber hones," or "barbers hone" that gets mentioned on this site.

Tilly sells the barber hones, get 'em while they last, 'cuz when they're gone, they're gone for good!

Originally Posted by RichZ

Here is a honing thought. The pyramid works really well on my 3" wide Norton however my 12k stone is 2 1/4" so how would you do the pyramid on that?

The same way you do on the barber hones: use the rolling method and draw the blade off the hone.

X

xman,

In your opinion, do you think Tilly's barber hones, or the Norton 4/8 work better? Equal?

Well that's a Pandora's box.

It's pretty obvious that the 3" wide Norton combination 4k/8k waterstone is the best tool for the job. It cuts very fast and very well. It is also a bit cumbersome and a bit pricey.

I'm only getting used to the barber hones now and while the barber hones require greater skill to use, their size enables you to hold it in your hand and get excellent immediate tactile feedback. Thats more control over a very delicate procedure. They can be used dry or wet for faster cutting (not quite as fast as the waterstones though). You'll likely need 2 or 3 different ones to get a good edge.

Unless you are establishing a new edge on an old dull razor however, I think a paddle strop with 1.0 and 0.5 pastes is a GREAT way to go especially for new shavers. That's a skill you'll have to learn anyhow and the pastes are a wonderful last step in the honng process anyhow.

X

Originally Posted by xman

The same way you do on the barber hones: use the rolling method and draw the blade off the hone.

X

Firstly my applogies for no doubt asking a question thats possibly been answered a hundred times -- I'm still a loss with regars to this rolling method ( rock n roll ) as I've heard it mention before

Originally Posted by Garry

Firstly my applogies for no doubt asking a question thats possibly been answered a hundred times -- I'm still a loss with regars to this rolling method ( rock n roll ) as I've heard it mention before

No worries. The rolling method is shown in one or two of the barber texts in the permanent Help Files. As you hone, begin focussing the blade's contact with the hone at the heel and slowly gradually move that contact along the edge to the tip as the honing stroke advances. It'll help you get a keen edge right along the length of the blade. Since the whole dge doesn't fit on a barber hone at once, you need this technique to sharpen the razor.

X

Only just read the post , it just so happens I was referring to the barber manuals last night , along with Lynn video -- trying to refine my stroping and basic shave technique . It was interesting to read about the emphasis in adding the extra few pass's on the heel and point to maintain the curvature of the balde , during practise honing sessions I've really has to concentrate when reaching the point not to try and curve the last strok round to catch the round tip, i've no doubt in my mind this is incorrect but someone if i don't concentrate i find myself almost doing this as the point nears the bottom of the barber hone .

This is a really good thread/primer with lots of good questions/answers. I plan to use the information.

I have a two line swaty and another hone that feels similar...those are around 8k..finishing hones or higher grit?