Thread: Is it strange that my favorite ~8k is a barber hone?

I've been using a barber hone after the King 6k in my progression for most of the time I've been honing. I recently picked up a small AJ DT / gray WHIG, whatever. I can use it with acceptable results between the 6k and my PHIG, but it's slower than the barber hone and the takes more effort to get the same result. Slurry helps, but why bother with more strokes while diluting slurry when the barber hone just gets it right quicker?

Am I the only one here using a barber hone as part of the regular progression rather than as a touchup hone? Should I bother trying to replace it with a proper pre-finisher, and am I likely to get better results if I did?

Originally Posted by DFriedl

I've been using a barber hone after the King 6k in my progression for most of the time I've been honing. I recently picked up a small AJ DT / gray WHIG, whatever. I can use it with acceptable results between the 6k and my PHIG, but it's slower than the barber hone and the takes more effort to get the same result. Slurry helps, but why bother with more strokes while diluting slurry when the barber hone just gets it right quicker?

Am I the only one here using a barber hone as part of the regular progression rather than as a touchup hone? Should I bother trying to replace it with a proper pre-finisher, and am I likely to get better results if I did?

You're not the only one. I too use a barber hone as part of my progression(a Wester Bros two sided one). I started using it out of necessity when I ruined my 8k. It works so well that I don't forsee buying another 8k anytime soon.

I have a very uniform OVB barber hone ( a black one, no clue what's in it ) that just about puts a finished edge on a razor, only one level down from the top finishing stones (it will easily match an 8k synthetic stone). I use it fairly often, and were i living in the past where folks were on limited dollars and didn't just buy all kinds of garbage like they do now, I could easily use it indefinitely for razors to keep them honed, following it with nothing but bare leather. I kind of look at it and marvel about how particular and specific we are now when it does a perfectly fine job even if you let it work all the way to the edge. Of course, I do have some inexpensive barber hones (the semi unknown types that are $5 at flea markets) that would give you a rough ride if you let them work themselves all the way to the edge of a razor.

I have been using the following progression of barber hones lately. It started as an experiment and ended up giving me the best shaves of my life. Now I am wondering what to do with all these coticules and jnats I have lying around.
this is the progression I have used and loved lately.

Naniwa ss 1000
Carborundum 103 (its the small rougher one)
Swaty three line Austria with dish soap

Cerium oxide on linen
clean linen
leather latigo strop

If you have those...definitely worth a try!

No, you are definitely strange. Happily, so are the rest of us so you fit right in!

Seriously though, why not? I use my escher and Shapton 16K as intermediate hones. As higher grit stones or pastes become available it is natural to use what used to be considered "touch up" or "finisher" stones in the interim phases of honing, IMO.

James.

Originally Posted by Disburden

I have been using the following progression of barber hones lately. It started as an experiment and ended up giving me the best shaves of my life. Now I am wondering what to do with all these coticules and jnats I have lying around.
this is the progression I have used and loved lately.

Naniwa ss 1000
Carborundum 103 (its the small rougher one)
Swaty three line Austria with dish soap

Cerium oxide on linen
clean linen
leather latigo strop

If you have those...definitely worth a try!

Disburden, send those spare Coticules and jnats to 42 Bridge street... Newfoundland, Canada. seein your not using them.

You are not the Only one!