Thread: Maintenance touchup

frspecht,

For me, the usual routine is to give the edge a refresh once a week on a hard leather paddle strop dusted with 0.5 micron CrOx powder.

Once a month, the edge is taken to a Naniwa 12 k.

I tend to err on the 'little and often' side

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

So IF one uses a barber hone or Naniwa 12k Is the stroke a honing stroke (Blade first) or a stropping stroke (spine first)?

Originally Posted by mcgyver74

So IF one uses a barber hone or Naniwa 12k Is the stroke a honing stroke (Blade first) or a stropping stroke (spine first)?

Valid question - the rule is if it is a stone the stroke is edge leading; any other kind of "hone" (bench, balsa etc) and strop use spine leading strokes.

This is truly crazy making.

What did the people making the straight razors do say, two hundred years ago?

There was no trade with China or Japan that I know of.

Not in a major way, maybe there was a small cadre of secret honers trading stones along the old silk route, like George Gurdjieff saw in his "Meetings with Remarkable Honers,"
but for the average barber of Saville, or Augsburg or Minsk, what method worked to hone a razor to simple day to day marketable use?

Is there a text somewhere referencing this?

I'm just a beginner, but damn, there's got to be a common man method that was widely known and used, not CRO2 or diamond paste or pricey coticules or Naniwa stones.

Anyone?

Originally Posted by normbal

This is truly crazy making.

What did the people making the straight razors do say, two hundred years ago?

There was no trade with China or Japan that I know of.

Not in a major way, maybe there was a small cadre of secret honers trading stones along the old silk route, like George Gurdjieff saw in his "Meetings with Remarkable Honers,"
but for the average barber of Saville, or Augsburg or Minsk, what method worked to hone a razor to simple day to day marketable use?

Is there a text somewhere referencing this?

I'm just a beginner, but damn, there's got to be a common man method that was widely known and used, not CRO2 or diamond paste or pricey coticules or Naniwa stones.

Anyone?

Ha! Yep, the common man method around these parts is the barber hone. They work great. You can also use fine Arkansas stone. For the record though, I don't think prices of coticules were then what they are now. Besides, if you're a sleuth, they can be had on ebay or in grimy antique stores for reasonable prices. Such prices are due to the seller not being a member here!

normbal,

In 'La Pogonotomia' by Perret, ca 1770

La pogonotomie, ou L'art d'apprendre ... - Jean-Jacques Perret - Google Boeken

Translation is available on Arthur Boon's site 'Razor Central' :

RazorCentral - Alles über Rasiermesser

Mention is made (IIRC) in 'La Pogonotomia' of coticules, Belgian blues and slate hones. Also mentioned was the use of rouge and/or black iron oxide in grease to smooth the blade.

In later texts at the end of the 19th century, coticules, Thuringian hones and the new ceramic hones are mentioned.

It seems that only the synthetic waterstones of the late 20th century are the 'newcomers' in the honing landscape

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I was told as long as the blade isnt butter knife dull..yes a barbers hone will do fine.

I would only hone if you find degradation in the edge. Every razor is different and the only reason I would ever hone on a set schedule is for simplicity sake.

I have a Boker Edelweiss that I purchased approximately one year ago. It was honed once and has not seen a stone since. I have other razors that have been touched up once and only once in the past year. I also have a few that need touch ups every 10 shaves. Too many variables for me to be on a set schedule.