Originally Posted by
CStevens
I can't help but wonder just how good were "average guys" at honing their razors back when there were only straight razors. I wonder this because many of the old razors you see on ebay, as well as a couple of my grandpas/great granpas razors are flat on the spines with deep scratches. If they are flat but smooth, they've obviously been honed with a smooth hone, but some of the deep scratches indicate perhaps someone tried a hone meant for pocket knives. My father told me that he can't remember my grandfathers ever even owning any barbers hones. Then again this may be why they put them all in a box and never used them again. Again, I'm not talking about a barber, or someone who done it professionally, just "average joes"