Thread: New UK Member and honing

Hi, I'm from the UK and still cartridge shave. I've been looking at straight razors lately.

Hi to everyone, nice forum that you have here.

I have read in the wiki and some of the threads here. I have a question about hones which I'm still a bit confused by.

If I buy a starter setup (for example from InvisibleEdge) it looks to cost about £65 for a basic Dovo carbon steel razor and £130 for the razor plus strop, shave soap, basic brush, etc.

My question relates to hones. It looks like if I just want to maintain this razor then I'd only need a 10k stone or around there, plus stropping as a minimum. But one of those stones costs more than the razor does.

So, the question I think I'm asking is how long is the razor likely to last with daily use and regular stropping before I'd need it rehoning, assuming that I have an 'average' face/beard? I'm trying to keep the initial cost low enough to get past the wife

Thanks, Tony.

Hi, and welcome to SRP.

A Dovo from the invisible edge is a good choice for a starter kit.
It will not stay sharp all that long to be honest, due to lack of technique.
Stropping takes a wee bit of practise to get right.

Instead of a new 10-12K hone, you could always look into a barber hone.
Those can be had for as little as 20 or 30 bucks if you keep your eyes open.
Tons of people have used that for years to maintain their razors.
Along with a good strop, that could very well be all you need for a long time.

A good cheap alternative is a rozsutec stone with 8k grit that you could get for 10 pounds approximately, though not very easy to find. Use it with oil and go light.

Thank you Birnando and Sterm.

Birnando, I think I'd read that buying a used hone wasn't very practical for a beginner (because you don't have the experience to know what you are buying).

Are there better places than ebay to look?

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by tbaac

Thank you Birnando and Sterm.

Birnando, I think I'd read that buying a used hone wasn't very practical for a beginner (because you don't have the experience to know what you are buying).

Are there better places than ebay to look?

Thanks again.

It shouldn't be a problem buying a used barber hone, or any other for that matter, just make sure whoever you buy it from flattens it before sending it to you, if needed.
If you find one you like, and feel uncertain about its flatness, just get some wet and dry sandpaper in 325 grit, lay it on a flat surface like a piece of glass or something, and do the job yourself.
It's really a very doable task

I know of only one who sell good barber hones out there, and that is gssixgun.
His website is gemstarcustoms.com.

+1 to the barbers hones or a naniwa 3k/8k combo stone, alot easier and cheaper than the Nortons in the UK. If you are only doing basic maintenece this will be all you ever need. However, make sure the edge is honed professionally and not the factory edge. This way you can hold off on the hones for 4-6 months or longer YMMV. A strop with some chrome oxide will keep you going for a while. When the razor feels like it is starting to tug some hit your pasted strop about 5 laps then strop on linen or mesh, then leather and test shave. Birnando is right though, your edge won't last long b/c of the learning curve. So, read up and be patient.

I didn't know Glen sold barber's hones; thanks for the tip Birnando!

Thanks again everyone.

I'm still pondering straight vs DE. I found an interesting article earlier raising a couple of points that I hadn't seen before regarding the differences.

The advantages of straight when compared to DE were given as the control that you have over the blade angle, the blade being longer leading to fewer strokes and that hollow ground blades are slightly more "pliant" allowing it to flex for small variations in the skin.

Against this the disadvantages were listed as the blade being much more dangerous, the maintenance required for a straight razor and the difference in shave time (if you take this to be a disadvantage).

This came from SuperiorShave.

I found this advice quite helpful because I'd mostly read comparisons giving some kind of "zen satisfaction" as the main advantage of the straight razor.

Regarding barber's hones, is there anywhere in the UK that would be good to get them from? I'm beginning to feel as though it will be a £40 difference between a barber's hone and a Japanese full size stone and that in the long run I'll be better spending the extra few quid.

Thanks again.

I just noticed in the "Shopping List" section of SRP it says not to buy a hone to start with:

"Do not buy them. Instead buy your razors shave ready. Familiarize yourself with the razor, finish your first few shaves and learn to strop. A strop with a fabric component will extend the life of the edge compared to just leather. If you can not maintain your razor sharp with regular stropping on canvas and leather you will dull it even more with a hone. "

The last sentence seems to say that until you can use a strop properly, attempting to use a hone will only make things worse. The paragraph together seems to say that if you buy a hone before you're ready then you might do something stupid, such as trying to use it.

Following this logic, if you spoil the edge through mistakes while stropping, should you send it off to get re-honed?
Shopping list for beginners - Straight Razor Place Wiki

In a word - yes.
My suggestion would be that you get yourself two shave ready razors and have one ready to go while one is out for touching up - in the short term anyway.
That way you won't need hones for a while and you can get your technique sorted out.
If you want to get into honing later on you will have a 'reference' blade to compare against as well.