Thread: no need for all these very expensive stones heres a cheap one.

Glen wrote:
Not one person here has ever said you NEED all these stones to maintain a shaving razor, but once this changes from an everyday mundane chore, to a hobby that you look forward to each day, then you will probably WANT many different options...

Perhaps. But then again perhaps not. Some people (like me) enjoy the shaves more with the simplicity that a straight razor can provide rather than with a complicated setup. When I really want sophisticated I use a cartridge razor. Which I also find very enjoyable. It's all good.

Honing and collecting hones to me is every bit a part of the hobby and art as the razor itself. I enjoy collecting hones and the feeling I get when I take an edge from nothing to shave ready. I love the reel of the blade on the stone. Keep your ceramic and only use it if.u want. Youre missing out though.

Originally Posted by Johnus

Last year I bought a 1900's Boker sight unseen from an antiques dealer who says she purchased it from an elderly woman she knew. The woman told her it was her father's who shaved with it everyday until he died.
To my surprise when it arrived, it looked almost new! and almost shave ready. When I wrote back to tell them how pleased I was, they said that the father had only used a Strop to maintain it. The woman still had her father's Strop but wasn't ready it sell it.
If true, it seems a possibility to only use leather to keep a great edge!

Yes, I've only Stropped it the few times that I've used it. Beautiful razor.

My mother told me the same thing. My grandfather only ever used a strop (leather only, no paste etc) to maintain his razors. And he used them for most of his life!!!

Originally Posted by Poss272

My mother told me the same thing. My grandfather only ever used a strop (leather only, no paste etc) to maintain his razors. And he used them for most of his life!!!

Well, I asked a lot of old folks and some say they only used a strop, no pastes or hones ever... but when I tell them that sooner or later you will have an very round edge that might not work so well, they all said; -Well, then you take it to someone to get it honed!

Fair 'nuff

The great thing about this forum is the wealth of information you can read about… then do what works for you.

Enjoy

$20? I'll take the Pepsi challenge on that.

Granite floor tile $2
Sheet of 3 mic lapping film $2
Total $4

Wear out your first piece of 3 mic film and then use it as a finisher.

To each their own, I say. If you are happy with your set up, that is all that matters. Letting others know what your set up is is also good, as they can judge it for themselves and then decide whether it would work for them or not.

Personally, I know I have stones I don't use a lot but I like having them in case. My Tam O'Shanter and WOA, for example. It doesn't get used much, but comes in handy on the occasions that it does.

In any event, simplicity is one way to go, and I can see that it would have a lot going for it. And I respect those who practice it. But that doesn't mean complexity is any less valid. The Indigenous people of Australia have a saying that I believe is apropos: "You can live on snakes and roots, but they taste like crap!"

James.

Not to mention that some just wants a set up that works fine for "their" razor, others wants a set up that works for "all" razors,
and since some stones go exceptionally well together with some razors and not so with others you soon end up with a bunch of them.
Then I like to hone a kamisori on jnats, Solingen on Escher and so on... still looking for a good French stone!

Originally Posted by Lemur

still looking for a good French stone!

Vosgienne! Special stone! La Lune!