Thread: What if it were 1860?

How would you hone your razor? Today we're using diamond pastes, Belgian, Chinese and Japanese stones, Norton water stones, CrO pastes, etc. We look at the blades under a microscope. Pretty high tech and exotic by 19th century standards. I gotta figure the average 19th century man had a strop and a barber stone. Either his standard of sharpness was lower or we are going about this the long way.

Goog

I reckon that people used natural stones (Coticule, BBW etc..), barber hones and rouges on strops that the jewellers would have had for polishing.

I do think that we really push our edges now. Glen commented on another thread about the future of straight razor shaving and said that we push our edges more now than we did even a few years ago, so there must be a difference between modern edges and 1800's edges.

Look back to when the Norton 4/8 was the standard hone and the finisher du jour was the coticule. Now we have 12k, 16k or even 30k as a finishing hone, 30k+ Asagi's, 0.25 micron diamond spray and a variety of strop materials to get the best possible finish. Some might call it obsessive, but I call it fun..! Hehe!

Back in the day, there was no alternative to a straight razor, so it probably wasnt a hobby for most people, it was a chore. So they probably didnt take such good care of the kit, and when the razor dulled they'd take it to the local barber and he'd hone it up for them or they'd use a barber hone or natural stone themselves.

have you read this: http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...nloadable.html

A tour of some of Europe and Britain's cathedrals and ancient buildings, paying close attention to the intricate wood and stone carving, is convincing evidence that even 800yrs ago men were able to put a very sharp and precise edge on cutting tools.

Coticules, Eschers, Charnley Forrest, Turkey stones, and on and on. Those folks had a menu of naturals to choose from.

I think the past generations had not such high demands what it comes to the sharpness of a razor. To us it is sort of a volunteer hobby, but to them it was just only way to keep your face shaved and clean.

Still they got their things done well. They were not helpless. They had their ways to keep their things sharp. Natural hones and leather belts were common.
Also there were number of tools, methods and equipment old Metusalems used. Nowadays we have just simply lost how to use these unidentified things or we don't even recognize that they are tools and equipments at all.

Originally Posted by Stubear

I reckon that people used natural stones (Coticule, BBW etc..), barber hones and rouges on strops that the jewellers would have had for polishing.
......
so it probably wasnt a hobby for most people, it was a chore. So they probably didnt take such good care of the kit, and when the razor dulled they'd take it to the local barber and he'd hone it up for them or they'd use a barber hone or natural stone themselves.

+1 and

I think a lot can be learned from common kitchen knives.
In my house they are sharp but if I am visiting friends where
I might be drafted into kitchen duty like carving steak or a turkey
that is often not the cases. I bring a sharpening kit or a portable
carving kit because most people just do not keep their kitchen
knives sharp.

High end knives and stores more and more seem to have
sharpening services or events. An $800.00 dull knife set is just
a dull set of knives no better than a dull $25.00 set.

People in 1860 probably honed razors much like I do. I went to Ace Hardware bought a 6" two sided sharpening stone and got after it. It's not pretty, fancy or spendy but I've landed some wonderful shaves using nothing more than this stone and an antique 3" horsehide strap.

Originally Posted by greatgoogamooga

How would you hone your razor?

If it were 1860 I wouldn't be born yet. But ignoring that, I'd grow a beard and not own a razor. But if I was forced to shave I'd probably be stuck with a big chunk of metal. And I'd buy it new. If I was forced to hone it, I'd call up Lynn (who would also be in 1860) and see if he'd let me borrow his Shaptons. I could maintain an edge with an old hone from back in the day, but I would not want to try to hone a dull wedge with one

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

If I was forced to hone it, I'd call up Lynn (who would also be in 1860) and see if he'd let me borrow his Shaptons.

Yeah. Only problem, You would have to wait at least 16 years before the first phone would be available