Thread: Keen Kutter Barber Hone

INTRO: I picked up this keen-kutter hone at my local antique store for 13 dollars. I own 11 barber hones including a austrian 3 line swaty.

SPEED: It is a slow hone, but the polish it puts on a blade is equal to, or in some cases greater than the swaty.

FEEDBACK: This stone offers little feedback. You can tell when it is getting sharp when the razor makes a "pop" noise at the end of quick X-strokes.

TECHNIQUE:After I finish off a BBW with diluted slurry, I do 20 circles on each side with pressure, then 20 no pressure. After that I do 50 laps on the hone and the edges it provides are great. Most of the time I return and do 30 laps on a coti to finish up. You will be able to pop hairs off this hone. Also, unlike the swaty, it is very easy to get a wire edge with this hone. as long as you rotate sides when honing you will be okay, but don't do more than 20 a side with a chisel/circle stroke.

FINISH: The finish is mirror when looking perpendicular to the hone marks and very slightly hazy when viewing paralell. I would say the stone is equal to around 12-14k it leaves a much finer finish than the C12k.

SHAVE: I try to finish my razors on different hones to feel the difference and it is a very sharp edge with med/low forgivibility.

These can be found in great abundance on the bay, they are a great, cheap, relatively overlooked hone. Spend the 10-20 dollars and pick one up!

Would you say this a good "touch up " hone!!