Thread: Stright down the hone

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Interesting . . .

[snip]... Its not so much that you get a better shave, its that you can accomplish the same thing with much less work...

Excellent point Alan. Although there may be many ways to get from LA to San Diego, perhaps the method (as outlined in the 1961 Barber's manual) is the shortest route to obtaining a good shaving edge. I had completely forgotten about this manual which I did read a couple of years ago with interest. I followed the instructions carefully (using a shorter stroke while keeping the angle equal on both sides) and my honing skills improved enormously. Having enjoyed such great success, I never questioned this issue of str---ions. Although I use many other strokes when establishing a bevel, I regularly finish off with an X stroke. Now, thanks to Alan's, Bill's and Nenad's comments (and everyone else who posted here), I'm rethinking all this again. Thanks guys.

Hal

Here's something else to think about. Among my collection of classic barber hones, I have at least one official "barber school" hone. It is single grit and surprisingly among one of my coarser grits (coarse-med). I wondered why a professional barber school would have used such a hone to train its barbers? Why not a combination hone with a finer grit? I think Alan's comments offer the answer.

Hal

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Interesting . . .

No not 4k, too much for that. Just 8k or perhaps a barber hone,which could be even higher. The blade will shave just fine.

Then, consider I have done this experiment, since I strop and shave directly from the 8K for this past year, and it goes smooooth...

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Your description of the edge and the .35 thing is cool. I need to think about that. I would think in your example the blade would get overhoned, not dulled.

Oh, Nenad, also, why is .35m the thinnest you can hone a blade?

True, it would get overhoned, I just think overhoning happens not if you spend too much time on the hone, but also if you add some pressure to it.

as for the .35m, beats me... that's the exact measure that SEM measured on the DE blade and professionally honed razor (coincidence? I don't think so.) I think the razor's cutting motion is not ripping parts of the hair shaft, like in hand cutting with the hacksaw, but getting the edge between the layers of hair cells and splitting them apart. Teeth, or stirations have no business there...

Also, the comment from the barber's manual (I have that printed and laying on my work table for 5-6 months now) is likely the author trying to explain cutting on the basic level, not knowing how it actually goes. If you remember the "microscope" pictures (drawings infact) you will see a saw edge, with teeth, which don't exist on the real SEMicroscope images even at 2-3000x magnificationm on both DE blade and straight razor...

Nenad

Originally Posted by halwilson

Here's something else to think about. Among my collection of classic barber hones, I have at least one official "barber school" hone. It is single grit and surprisingly among one of my coarser grits (coarse-med). I wondered why a professional barber school would have used such a hone to train its barbers? Why not a combination hone with a finer grit? I think Alan's comments offer the answer.

Hal

I think these medium grits produce an edge which is almost impossible to nick yourself (or anyone else) with and offer surprising whisker cutting characteristics. Interestingly, they are easy to scyth with too.