Touch up stone

Hi guys
Can anyone recommend a good starter stone for me I just want to use it for touch ups. Something just to touch up the edges so that I don't have to send it out to someone for honing everytime? Any replies are appreciated.
Thanks
Tony

a barbers hone might be a great place to start! I pmd u

A Norton 4/8 might cost a bit more than a barber's hone, but you will get a ton more use out of it. Search on JANorton for more info.

I agree with Speedster, my first was a 4/8 and I fixed my razor that I had dulled with bad stropping.

barber hone, norton 4/8, naniwa 3/8, J.A. Henckels 3/8. All would be good stones to start with, and are less than $90 for two stones, and some barber hones can be had fairly cheap as well.

You've got a lot of options. Vintage barber hones were specifically made for the job you have in mind. I'd say it really comes down to preference, and budget. If you want minimum fuss a vintage barber hone is ideal for keeping in the bathroom and giving the razor 5 or so strokes every now and again on water, lather or dry. If you want a stone you planning on developing a relationship with get a natural stone like a coticule or thuringian. Or go down the modern synthetic route and get a hight grit Naniwa or Shapton.

For a cheap and cheerful solution the Chinese 12K/PHIG/CHUG might be worth a look.

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Originally Posted by Proinsias

You've got a lot of options. Vintage barber hones were specifically made for the job you have in mind. I'd say it really comes down to preference, and budget. If you want minimum fuss a vintage barber hone is ideal for keeping in the bathroom and giving the razor 5 or so strokes every now and again on water, lather or dry. If you want a stone you planning on developing a relationship with get a natural stone like a coticule or thuringian. Or go down the modern synthetic route and get a hight grit Naniwa or Shapton.

For a cheap and cheerful solution the Chinese 12K/PHIG/CHUG might be worth a look.

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I think that's exactly what I'm looking for a barbers hone something cheap and small and that's no fuss.

I'm in the same boat. Was thinking about getting just a 12k for tough up/maintenance. But don't know if I should also get a 4/8, trying to stay reasonable on the spending.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sleekandsmooth

a barbers hone might be a great place to start! I pmd u

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Just pm-d u back.
Thanks

You can get a cheap Chinese 12K that's been cut down for $15 from Whipped Dog. It's not bad for touch-ups.

Would the Zulu Grey make a good touch up stone?

I have some Barber's Hones but have never used them. My sense is that the technique required on them is not so simple as it seems, while a Naniwa SS 12K, for example, requires little more than keeping the blade flat and doing just a few passes. Starting with the Naniwa makes sense because it will eventually take its place among the 1K, 4K, and 8K as a complete honing system.

I would suggest a Naniwa 12k. Simpler to use for a beginner and more likely to give you consistent results. Once you acquire your set of hones you'll want the 12k anyway as your finishing hone.

I'll agree on the Naniwa 12k or any such "normal" stone.
If you get a barbers hone or something exotic it's harder for people to help you since nobody knows how you hone behaves.