Barber Honing

[shavefan12]

Do you have to use lather, or can you just wet the stone with water?

I'd screw the bevel up if I held it in my hand., Can you just put it flat on a table and use it like a normal hone?

[xmacd]

@shavefan12 ~ lather isn't necessary, but it helps. Use it however you're comfortable.



[maggadogg]

Hi Im just starting up with a straight razor, I strop it before every shave- but dont really know how often should i hone it? Does it depend on the age of the razor or use? thanks

[xmacd]

@maggadogg Touch it up like this whenever it starts to pull. For me that's usually about every fifteen or twenty full shaves. Different steel and different whiskers affect the outcome differently. Eventually this kind of touch up will not work and you'll need to go to a slightly coarser stone or set of stones to expose the edge to the ultra fine finishing hone again.

[maggadogg]

@maggadogg thanks!

[geofatboy]

Thanks X! I have a Wade & Butcher Straight Razor with a Smiling Blade and a Swaty Stone. I think this might be the ticket for putting a nice edge on it. I think putting lather on the stone will make a big difference!

Geo.

[xmacd]

@geofatboy I suspect you're right. I never understood lathering the hone until I did it. Big difference.

[RedBankKid]

How does a Chinese 12K water stone differ from a Barbours hone stone?

[xmacd]

@RedBankKid : Waterstones should be soaked in water for 10-15 min. before use. The grit is about the same so they are both finishing hones, but I think the barber hone 'cuts' a little faster so needs fewer strokes. I don't use the 12k Chinese stone so I can't say for certain.

[RedBankKid]

@RedBankKid Thanks for that bit of info, i'll give this a try when my new Dovo starts to pull some. Should i use lather or only water?

[gzephier]

hey xmacd-can u do that lathering on a regular water stone?

[gzephier]

a regular dual waterstone?

[xmacd]

Water stones should just use water, no lather.

[gzephier]

why?

[xmacd]

dunno

[gzephier]

what if i try lathering a regular waterstone and it actually works?

[xmacd]

*shugs* good on you?

The water stones work best with a slurry which soap(=lather) would lift from the surface so even if it works, I suspect it'll still work better without the lather.

Try not to ruin your stone though. It might clog up with soap.

[gzephier]

slurry which soap? r u talking about regular shaving soap?

[xmacd]

@gzephier : Late reply, but I wouldn't do that.

[liuton2005]

Thank you very much. My grandpa passed away and I don't know how to sharpen his razor.

[xmacd]

You'll need some more stones. One is not usually enough.

[xmacd]

I test it regularly feeling with my moistened thumb pad during honing, then I perform the Hanging Hair Test to see how it responds before the ultimate test, The Shave Test.

[xmacd]

Teeth on the edge is an old wives' tale. I always use hot water because it warms, softens and lengthens the edge ever so little, and it's more comfortable on my hands too. Cold water would make the edge more brittle. I also strop before and after a touch up like this.

[gzephier]

i do agree with strop before and after honing and shaving, my guess is because if u strop before you hone the blade it will make the honing process a little bit easier because the stroping will realign the edge giving the hone a little bit of relief so that it doesnt have to do all the work. what i would also like to know is if teeth on the edge is an old wives tale then what is on the edge of the blade?

[xmacd]

My whiskers. :D

Actually the edge is straight and smooth as seen at 300x magnification. When properly honed a straight edge razor is sharp enough to simply cleave between the wet molecules of the hair!

[gzephier]

how would you test the sharpness of the blade, hanging hair test, running it across a wetted thumbnail?

[gzephier]

xmacd-do use hot or cold when u wet the barber's hone and lather when u sharpen the razor? i'm thinking that hot water will weaken the metal on the edge, and i'm guessing that cold water would stiffen the metal making the edge's teeth realign.

[xmacd]

I always strop. before and after shaving. I even stropped before and after this honing!

[moumou360]

I got a pair of matching Greaves, love em!

[Cybrok]

That's what I keep my William's for :)

[rll1954]

I never thought about using the soap. That's cheap and easy to do. Great idea!