How to hone with a barber's hone

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

So my Wapi is finally out of juice and I want to hone it up using a barber's hone. It's a Nox al barber hone if that helps.

How do I go about honing it? Do I need a slurry stone? Will water alone do? Do I need water at all?

What is the technique for honing, I haven't done it before. I know the blade is faceing the opposite way from stropping, but that's about it.

[michiganlover]

So my Wapi is finally out of juice and I want to hone it up using a barber's hone. It's a Nox al barber hone if that helps.

How do I go about honing it? Do I need a slurry stone? Will water alone do? Do I need water at all?

What is the technique for honing, I haven't done it before. I know the blade is facing the opposite way from stropping, but that's about it.

I soak my barber's hone briefly, and then coat it with some shaving lather. I then do 3-5 passes with the blade edge leading using a X pattern. This should be all that is required to bring a razor just starting to dull back to a sharp edge. :tongue_sm

In general, Barber's Hones seem to be pretty fast cutters.

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

I soak my barber's hone briefly, and then coat it with some shaving lather. I then do 3-5 passes with the blade edge leading using a X pattern. This should be all that is required to bring a razor just starting to dull back to a sharp edge. :tongue_sm

In general, Barber's Hones seem to be pretty fast cutters.

So do I need to put a lot of pressure?

[Chimensch]

So do I need to put a lot of pressure?
No! Hold the hone in your left hand (if you're righthanded) and just lay the razor flat on the hone at one end (the right if you're righthanded) with the heel on the bottom edge and the toe sticking up beyond the top edge. It's own weight is enough. Then, push the razor to the left, edge first, with no pressure but making sure the spine and edge are touching the hone. As you push to the left, also pull towards you so that the heel leaves the hone and the toe comes on to the hone, making one half of an X. You should coordinate the movement so that the toes comes on to the hone towards the left side. Then flip the razor and make the other half of the X going from left to right. Do this 5 times and the razor will be sharp.

[jtrops]

So do I need to put a lot of pressure?

You shouldn't use any pressure. The weight of the blade should be all.

I use a bit of lather if it's made, or even just some soapy water. We have foaming pump hand soap that works really well.

If your edge is just starting to pull you shouldn't need more than 3-5 passes on the barber hone to bring it back.

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

Do I sharpen it on the part that says Nox-All? or on the otherside?

[michiganlover]

Do I sharpen it on the part that says Nox-All? or on the otherside?

The Nox All I believe was originally intended to hone DE blades, as such one side has a prominent curve, and the other side is totally flat. You want to hone your straight razor on only the flat side. :biggrin1:

[Chimensch]

Do I sharpen it on the part that says Nox-All? or on the otherside?

Use the side with the largest surface area, which should be the other side.


The Nox All I believe was originally intended to hone DE blades, as such one side has a prominent curve, and the other side is totally flat. You want to hone your straight razor on only the flat side. :biggrin1:

I have a Nox-all that is a straight razor hone, just like a Swaty.

[michiganlover]

I have a Nox-all that is a straight razor hone, just like a Swaty.

Good to know. I was basing my post upon pictures of them I have seen on Larry Andro's site, and the ones I had seen all had the curved side. :tongue_sm

[Ru4scuba?]

Rollie,

As a Newb to str8s and hones....I've got a few passes on the Barbers under my belt. Listen to what the gentlemen above are telling you...its good advice and they taught me too! :thumbup1:

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

The Nox All I believe was originally intended to hone DE blades, as such one side has a prominent curve, and the other side is totally flat. You want to hone your straight razor on only the flat side. :biggrin1:


So the one without the writing, that just looks like the underside of a brick? (if bricks were completly smooth)?

In other words, do not hone on the side that says NOX-All.

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

Good to know. I was basing my post upon pictures of them I have seen on Larry Andro's site, and the ones I had seen all had the curved side. :tongue_sm

I bought my hone from Larry.

[michiganlover]

So the one without the writing, that just looks like the underside of a brick? (if bricks were completly smooth)?

In other words, do not hone on the side that says NOX-All.

If the side that says NOX-All has any amount of curve too it, you would not want to use it. Attempting to hone on a hone that is not 100% flat is rather pointless.

Take a look at the Rex hone, at this link. The outer package shows a picture of what I mean by a DE razor hone, that has a large curve in it:

http://www.whippeddog.com/Barbers-Hones/

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

If the side that says NOX-All has any amount of curve too it, you would not want to use it. Attempting to hone on a hone that is not 100% flat is rather pointless.

Take a look at the Rex hone, at this link. The outer package shows a picture of what I mean by a DE razor hone, that has a large curve in it:

http://www.whippeddog.com/Barbers-Hones/

Oh I see, there is no curve like that in either side. In fact there appears to be no curve in either side.

[Greybeard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_uWwbmQlUM