Honing System Questions

OK guys, I need some help please.

I'm still pretty new to straights, on a real tight budget, and I'm looking for
some advise and opinions.

I'm to the point where I need to aquire equipment for honing, and trying
to decide which method I want to use.

Everything is on hold right now while we work through some health issues
with my wife, and get ready for another year of homeschooling, so I doubt
I'm be doing anything right away.

I currently have a 5/8 "Wellington", a 5/8 Wester Stone "Anchor Brand", and a
Double Arrow #66 measuring 13/16 - 5/8 (from heel to point - overhoned point).:(
I also have a Duplex Indented Russian "Double Duty #261" Strop with linen.

I know that the bulk of you use the Norton 4/8 combo, and I believe most of
you also use something finer in addition like the Chinese 12K, lithide, swaty,
coticule, etc. An option off of this is to start out with the 12K and Japanese
slip stones.

Quite a few folks use barber hones and I was originaly thinking about Tilly's
beginer set along with the Premier and Little Devil.

And then there's the HandAmerican "Scary Sharp" system. Just the other day
Joe mentioned that he liked it for knives, but wasn't sure about using it for
razors because of the paper having some "give", but thought the mylar paper
might be OK. Bill seemd to like it in lower grits with razors that needed a little
more work, but moves up to 8k waterstone after using the 2k wet paper.

So... I've found "tons" of information searching the forum about barber hones
and wet stones, but very little about the "Scary Sharp". I like the convience of
this system, and the "changeability" of it.

If you would, let me know your thoughts....plus's & negatives to all three
methods or why you chose the system you use.

Barber hone- Cheap, light, portable, rarely needs lapping, you can add lather to produce a finer edge, and additionally, it was actually made for the task at hand.

afdavis, do you think a barber hone would make a better travel hone than a swaty? let me be clear: i'm talking about trips that last months, so i really need a small, portable, all around hone (just one, though. i don't want to carry more than one) that will fit in the side pocket of a backpack, which is all i carry on these trips. honestly, i'd love a mini-norton, but i'm trying to be realistic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cyrano138

afdavis, do you think a barber hone would make a better travel hone than a swaty?

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A swaty is a barber hone, it's just a well-known brand of barber's hone. If you start with a sharp razor a barber's hone and strop will keep you going. Your only problem will be if you really dull the blade somehow, or nick it. A barber's hone will be slow going getting the nick out. It will do it eventually, but it will take awhile. OTOH, if you're hiking or camping you'll have time :-)

I'm curious of its possible to strop a razor on your arm or leg? Not that this would be a preferred approach but whether it could be made to work in a camping/hiking situation where you're travelling light. I've noticed that since I started wiping the lather off the razor with my thumb that I don't need to strop mid-shave anymore, which makes me think the thumb pad is providing some stropping effect.

Yes, Swaty=Barber. Myself, if your really a traveler I'd cut a section off the Norton. If I wanted to buy something it would be the Col. Conk hone, its perfect for med grade work IMHO.

Mparker762, stretch your hand out and strop on the raised portion of your palm near the knuckles.

A belt would do.

I have a small paddle that Tony custom made for me that fits in my Dopp kit for travel.

Marcus-you'll find many that like the HA system. If your really in a financial quandry sell a razor to get the hones . . . it makes sense after you think about it a bit.

My concern about stropping on a belt on a hiking trip is that my leather belts aren't straight after a few days, and after a few days of hiking they're pretty saturated with salt which can't be good for the blade.

Sounds to me like a 4 sided paddle strop is your best option. Three sides pasted and one for finishing. it would take up a little more room than you want it to, but I believe it would be well worth it. I still have difficulty getting good results from barber hones and I just couldn't go without a strop. For traveling, which I'm doing now come to think of it, I use a small pocket paddle with 0.5 and 0.25 paste, and another regular sized paddle strop for daily duty. That's four sides, but I've still had to break out my Norton for the extended period.

X

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Originally Posted by xman

Sounds to me like a 4 sided paddle strop is your best option. Three sides pasted and one for finishing. it would take up a little more room than you want it to, but I believe it would be well worth it. I still have difficulty getting good results from barber hones and I just couldn't go without a strop. For traveling, which I'm doing now come to think of it, I use a small pocket paddle with 0.5 and 0.25 paste, and another regular sized paddle strop for daily duty. That's four sides, but I've still had to break out my Norton for the extended period.

X

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I agree with X (god that hurt to admit :cry: ) and I travel every week. I use a custom travel strop made by tony. It is his best latigo leather, but it is short and contains now linen so I can roll it up or fold it in half with no problems. I also take along the 4 sided paddle strop at times. I just pack it in a ziplock bag so that the diamond paste doesnt rub off onto anything else (I would hate to walk around all day in socks that have diamond paste in them) That has worked fine for me.

If the paddle strop is too bulky you could always order the travel size strop with double sided leather and have one side diamond pasted with .5 diamond paste. It would still be packable and would probably get you through most times as long as you keep up on the stropping because you wouldnt be able to let a razor go that long without refreshing it on .5 as you would if you had a hone. Many people like to have .25 micron diamond paste laying around on a paddle strop, but just as many people dont use any finer paste than .5 so that may just be your answer....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLStorm

I agree with X ....

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:eek: :eek: :eek:
It must be the apocalypse!

X

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xman

:eek: :eek:
It must be the apocalypse!

X

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I knew as soon as I posted that comment I would soon regret it :p and nope...it cant be the apocalypse...I still have that damn X thorn in my side...ohwell...i guess I will live another day! (in pain Im sure) :rolleyes:

I have used the "Scary Sharp" system before. Occasionally I will use a 1000 grit sandpaper to remove a major nick. I no longer use anything finer because when I did use a 2000 grit sandpaper to replace my broken 4000 grit Japanese stone I ran into a lot of problems. The 2000 grit seemed to slightly round over the edge of the razor. It was very difficult to obtain a sharp edge after that when I used either a 6000 jap or a Barber hone. I had to work a long time to get a shaving sharp edge. What I have learned since then is that it is possible to move from a 1000 grit sandpaper (soft) to a 4000 grit hone (hard) but is very difficult to move from a 2000 grit sandpaper to a 6000/8000 hone.
The rules seem to be that you can always use the same hardness media or move from a hard to a soft media. But should not go from a soft to a hard media.
keith at www.Handamerican.com now has sandpaper as fine as
0.5 micron. That is more than fine enough to obtain a shaving edge.
To be fair I have not used an all sandpaper system yet. It just might work. But, you will have to learn some of the Gottcha's of sandpaper. If it bunches up ever so little you wiill round the edge. You will need an absolutely flat substrate to put the sandpaper on. Using an edge leading stroke must be done very carefully or else you will slice the sandpaper.
This would be a very inexpensive , but rapid, method if it works.

The Barber hones are a time tested and proven option but the difficulty is determining the grit,learning how to use them and they are slow compared to some of the other options. But they are inexpensive, portable, they do work and they are way cool!

For a finishing level tool your best bet is a pasted paddle strop.

Hope this helps

How about a small coticule? They come in various sizes and shapes, the smaller once aren't too expensive: http://www.belgischerbrocken.com/.

The quality of the new coticules is inconsistent so I cannot recommend a new one.

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Originally Posted by Kees

How about a small coticule? They come in various sizes and shapes, the smaller once aren't too expensive: http://www.belgischerbrocken.com/.

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