Quote Originally Posted by Peasel View Post
str8fencer, I read several times in the wiki that pre-owned hones, for a newbie, are a bad idea. More effort to lap them. More than likely newb won't know the true grit. So on so forth.

Being still green myself, I stated it "is advised" because that has been what I've read. Not my limited experience.
This is true on the surface.
If the pre-owned razor is in good shape
having a pro hone it is your best bet.
If it is not in good shape the honemaster
will have to work a lot harder and may charge more.

A homemaster will have a big selection of hones
to sharpen your razor. You can invest $500-$1000
and have a kit of hones that $25-30 honing fee will
invoke. Once a razor is correctly sharpened the
kit needed to maintain it shave ready is a lot less.
In addition the honemaster has done it before and
knows what a sharp razor is.