Thread: Building a bench hone

Originally Posted by Zoidberg

Hi, guys, where I can find a pic of this Bench Hone?

tank's

Matteo

here you go :http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...g?categoryId=9

Here's mine. It's a couple of inches longer and mounted on marble, but the idea's the same.

Originally Posted by scarface

1- A bench hone.......I've got one of Tony Millers pasted paddle strops (3,1,0.5)...is a bench hone THAT much different than a paddle strop?

Beats me, I don't have one. I think it's just a bit longer and wider than a paddle and winds up being too big and heavy so they put feet on it so you can use it on a table.

Originally Posted by scarface

2-the CRO2 that you guys are huffin' - how does it compare (grit wise and performance wise) to the diamond pastes.

The chrome oxide we're using is 0.5 micron, same as 0.5 micron diamond paste. But it's slower-cutting and leaves a nicer-feeling edge.

Originally Posted by scarface

3- if it's that much better, why not just use it on a paddle strop?

I do. I've got it on three paddles, a small travel paddle, a tony miller wide leather-covered paddle (with 1 micron diamond on the other side), and a hardwood paddle.

I haven't used my bench hone yet, but one thing I think I'm going to like about it as opposed to a paddle is that it's more stable and sits flat like my Norton. Using a pasted strop flat on a tabletop gives me more control, because the motion is similar to the stroke I use while honing. I have a LOT more experience honing than using the paddle strop, so I think that'll help.

My bench hone is also wider, so I should have less of a chance of messing up my edges on the edge of the leather.

I am planning to clean off the .5 micron diamond paste on my Tony Miller paddle if I like the CrO2, though...

Josh

Thanks, guys.

-Lou

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

The leather I got from Tony was just 1/4 too narrow for my tile slices, so I just cut it 1/4 inch short so it would be even all around.
Thanks,
Josh

Actually I think your tile was a 1/4 too wide for my leather <g>


The only difference between a paddle strop and bench strop is usualy size and how you use it. The paddle is best held by the handle with the far end resting on atable, etc... The bench strop just lays flat on a table top and some find that gives more control when stropping. Only catch is one hand is now free instead of holding the handle and often winds up on the spine of the razor wher it DOES NOT belong when stropping or honing <g>

You use the same pastes and surfaces, leather, wood, balsa etc... but it works more like using an extra long Norton.

As for the pastes diamond sems much fster but the chromium seems to give a smoother edge even for the same grit size. Chromium oxide is available from quite a few industrial suppliers in bulk, some woodworking suppliers and Hand American in smaller quantities, and already applied to strops from me at The Well Shaved Gentleman. It is a great abrasive and my only issue with the stuff is that it rubs off on everything very easily.

Tony

Touche, Tony. Let's just say the Home Depot employee cut my tile 1/4 inch too wide.

It came out pretty nice. I still have to bevel the leather a bit, but the rest is done. I'm attaching a couple of photos.

Thanks for all the help!

Josh

I know this is an old thread... But I stumbled upon it while looking for research on making my own hone since I read that a lot of barber hones back in the day were cut from marble... Then got to wonder about cutting and lapping a marble tile may just make a super fine hone. What do you guys think about this? Since I hear you guys are using abrasive powders with it. What my question would be is... Do you think a nice lapped marble tile could make a nice hone (without abrasive powders)?