Thread: Need advice on hone purchase / New to straight razor shaving

I'm SOOO glad someone else has asked this question. I've already posted in a few other areas that I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary with my razor. Max has honed my razors in the past, but he's urged me to try refreshing them myself - and I think I'm ready to try. i just have two razors - so I do NOT want to screw them up. I was really leaning towards using diamond sprays and SRD's modular strop until I read this post. I've been told many times that the Naniwa 12k is the way for a newb to go. Someone also mentioned a D8EEE. I have an old Keen Kutter that's in great shape, but I've been scared of using it after reading all the warning in the Wiki and in these forums about the lack of quality in old barber hones. I've also been thinking about using a good ol' coticule. From what I've read they are the most user friendly and can be very slow cutting. Help please!

Also, I have a balsa board and some .5m CrOx. This seems like a silly question because I haven't seen it asked before. Do I use this like a hone (edge leading) or a strop (spine leading) ?

Originally Posted by geonjay

I'm SOOO glad someone else has asked this question. I've already posted in a few other areas that I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary with my razor. Max has honed my razors in the past, but he's urged me to try refreshing them myself - and I think I'm ready to try. i just have two razors - so I do NOT want to screw them up. I was really leaning towards using diamond sprays and SRD's modular strop until I read this post. I've been told many times that the Naniwa 12k is the way for a newb to go. Someone also mentioned a D8EEE. I have an old Keen Kutter that's in great shape, but I've been scared of using it after reading all the warning in the Wiki and in these forums about the lack of quality in old barber hones. I've also been thinking about using a good ol' coticule. From what I've read they are the most user friendly and can be very slow cutting. Help please!

Maintaining an edge is much easier than honing a blade from scratch. I learned on a coticule but I wouldn't discount your Barber's Hone too quickly either. Utopian managed for years if I remember rightly and is still a (very knowledgable) fan of them. I don't know the brand but I'm sure someone does and will chip in.