Thread: Barber hones revisited...

I have a redish (brick-colored) barber hone that I'd like to find a use for. It would be great for travel.

After searching the archives for more than an hour, I can't find much info about the red hones. It sounds like they are considered "medium" hones, and that there wasn't much difference between the various brands, so I'm hoping someone else with a red hone can give me some pointers.

How does the edge compare to the edge off the 8K side of the Norton? Would this hone be fine enough for touchups if I needed something to take with me on a trip?

Thanks,
Josh

I don't have one but I remember I have read somewhere (here?) that they are indeed touch up / finishing stones. Not sure about grit, but that's how the barbers used them. Basically, the advice I read was pick one up and try to see if you like the edge. Maybe don't try this on your best shaver honed by Lynn

I know this doesn't help much but it's all I can offer

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by joshearl

I have a redish (brick-colored) barber hone that I'd like to find a use for. It would be great for travel.

Yesterday I was visiting a cousin, and since conversation "naturally" turned to knifes and sharpening, he brought that exact hone to show me. I tried to sharpen a knife, and it responded fine. Like 8x2 inches in size, brick color. Looks to me something between 500-1000 grit...

Nenad

I tried an experiment this morning. I took a razor that I had HHT sharp, put hand soap and water on the barber hone, and did 20 laps with almost no pressure. (The idea being that I wanted to do enough strokes that it would have an effect. I had to be sure it would override the 8K and paddle stroping I had done.)

The razor shaved, but not as well as my other razor that had gotten the full 8K, 1, .5 micron treatment. It pulled a bit and felt kind of rough. My technique is still developing, though, so I'll probably try this again at some point.

I think I could use this to keep the razor shaving, but it's not something I would use very often.

Does this seem like a valid test?

Josh

A good test would to use it on an Ebay razor after the 4k.


Just my two cent,

You need to use shaving lather, not hand soap. shaving lather is much thicker, and helps the hone cut finer.