Thread: Barber Hone/Paste Question

I have been using my razor (Dovo Best 6/8) from Vintage Blades for approximately 2 - 3 weeks now. I have shaved with it 10 - 15 times and the last shave felt uncomfortable. I have a barber hone and a two sided pasted strop with .25 diamond and .5 Chr.

I gave the razor 5 passes on the barber hone last night and will shave with it tomorrow. My two questions are:

1. Is 5 passes enough to refresh the edge; and
2. Should the paste be used before, after or in place of the barber hone?

Thank you!

IME you have to experiment. Try the razor and if it isn't there yet do a few more strokes with the barber hone and try it again. Same with the paste. All you can do is experiment and find what works for you IME.

If the razor was properly sharp to begin with after the number of shaves you have under your belt it should need just a touchup. I wouldn't use both the hone and the pastes. If you use the hone just do maybe 10-15 passes and try shaving. If you use the paste I would probably use the Cr0. I think the .25 diamond and Cr0 give similar results just that the diamond can leave you with a harsh feeling edge. I wouldn't do more than 10 passes on the diamond without testing and probably the same with the Cr0.

Okay, thank you. My main question was whether to use the hone in conjunction with the paste or to use them separate. I assumed the answer was separate but wanted to confirm that.

I guess it is subjective, but is it better to use the barber hone for touching up and avoid paste or will the hone and paste give different results?

depends what do you prefer .
Some will like to use barber hones ,easy less then 6 strokes etc remember you will need to strop after barber hone will help
some loves effect of pastes. just don't be aggressive with them specially diamond paste. gl

Barber hone, then if wanted or needed use the paste.

worth asking -- how did you use the barber hone? Lather? Water? Dry? X's?

I like lather on a barber hone with a few circles and a few X's, little to no pressure. Should bring you back to seriously sharp. Really, it's hard to over-do as long as you don't use much pressure.

is that a Mets avatar? I might give different advice to a Yankees fan.

Barber hone, fabric strop, leather strop, shave. No pastes.

Originally Posted by Fbones24

I have been using my razor (Dovo Best 6/8) from Vintage Blades for approximately 2 - 3 weeks now. I have shaved with it 10 - 15 times and the last shave felt uncomfortable. I have a barber hone and a two sided pasted strop with .25 diamond and .5 Chr.

I gave the razor 5 passes on the barber hone last night and will shave with it tomorrow. My two questions are:

1. Is 5 passes enough to refresh the edge; and
2. Should the paste be used before, after or in place of the barber hone?

Thank you!

I am late to this topic -- I agree with the previous advice.

I would add that barber hones tend to be 'agressive' and
a bit coarser than a Norton 8K finish. There are exceptions.
However with a light touch and minimum passes they will refresh the
edge just fine.

Try four passes followed by canvas then leather strop, no more.

General rule:

After honing more canvas laps than leather.
After shaving more leather laps than canvas.

The CrOx or Diamond pasted strop can be used
anytime except before the barber hone.

These things have cycles that are preference driven.

Start with this cycle and adjust to your needs.

Each day prior to shaving visit the canvas
then leather strop or as needed. 25 canvas, 40 leather

Once a week lightly visit the pasted strop or as needed. Laps:
10 CrOx, 5 Diamond if the diamond makes the blade harsh
skip it.

Once in two months lightly visit the barber hone or as needed.
4 or 5 laps no more in a day. Two, three days in a row is OK if your
shave test tells you to. Perhaps once a month with lather.
With a barber hone you are not honing, not grinding but
lightly refreshing the blade. A barber hone will put a burr
on the razor with too many laps so just visit. A burr will
give ya a nick lickety split. Did I say lightly...?

Barber hones differ.