Originally Posted by
PaulFLUS
Yeah, he has some stones but he said earlier, "cheap ones I got for knives." Some of those cheap Chinese stones are good for a door stop and that's about all. Depending on what that means he may be better of starting over. I have some cheap Chinese carborundum stones that I wouldn't use to sharpen a hoe or shovel with. I need to throw that thing out because crappy tools are worse.than no tool at all IMHO.
Walter, no offense intended to you or anyone else but you say, "patina," I say, "rusty looking old crap." That is a matter of personal preference but I'll tell you why I say that. A knife is one thing, but a razor you shave your face with and potentially cut yourself. Barbers are no longer allowed to use a traditional straight razor (only disposable blade ones) because even with a clean one blood born disease can be spread by them. Add to that funk that can hold antigens and you are increasing the chances. I am a real stickler about this probably because that's what my father taught me. I can remember him refusing to sharpen razors that were rusty for that reason. In retrospect he possibly could have restored it as I have done countless times but that was not his thing. His thing was sharpening.
Anyway this is all academic. We all go through life and have our own hang ups and things we shrug off. Probably none of us are totally right. JMO.
As far as the soaking part with Norton's, I don't know what all the fuss is. So you put it in water for 5-10 minutes. Impatience is not something I'd recommend making a habit of with honing.