Thread: Smoothness vs. Dullness

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Might need a touch up with a barber hone or a finishing stone ?

BIG +1


This is precisely what barber hones were made for.

A 2-sided barber hone can be had on ebay for $10-$35 and with proper use, can keep a razor in shaving condition indefinitely.

When you find that your razor starts getting grabby, or leaving more razor burn than it should, 5 laps on the smooth side will usually bring it right back into shape (assuming it wasn't honed with tape. If it was honed with tape you'll have to find out what brand of tape was used and how much, so you can use the same amount of tape when you go to the barber hone)

If the razor has gone a bit too far, or you've used it to shave a full beard off like I did with one of my razors a week ago, you can do 2-3 laps on the courser side first, and then your 5 laps on the smooth side.

If you do this, you'll only have to fully re-hone a razor if you've done something to damage the edge.

It may be time to smooth out that edge on a fine finishing stone. My suggestion is to check with a good magnifier to see what's going on at the edge. I like the $12 Radio Shack Illuminated Microscope as it goes from 60x- 100x and the light comes from above the blade. Go heel to toe and check the other side. It should look smooth and uniform and if it's not, finish with a nice stone.