Thread: Naniwa 12k or Swaty for Touch-ups?

Referring back to Hi_Bud_Gl's post, each hone was manufactured to have a specific function. I do not use barber's hones but I do have a bunch. A barber's hone is made to remove metal and provide a reasonable cutting edge. A Naniwa 12k is made to polish an edge to a smooth finish. Using a Naniwa 12k for touch ups will work but take more time than a barber's hone, depending on the wear on the edge when starting to refresh the edge. A barber's hone can and has been used to finish an edge as the one and only hone needed for touch ups before stropping and shaving. If it were able to produce as smooth a finish as the Naniwa 12k I would guess they would be extremely popular.

Coticules were also popular 'barber's hones' because with slurry they removed metal relatively quickly and w/ lather or water alone produced a smooth edge. The learning curve with coticules is much steeper than Naniwa 12k's and Swaty's.

As with everything in life, the devil is in the details.

Originally Posted by Milkylee

Loueedacat,

I think you just bought that Shumate barber hone from me, am I correct in that assumption?

Yes indeed!

Originally Posted by Joed

Referring back to Hi_Bud_Gl's post, each hone was manufactured to have a specific function. I do not use barber's hones but I do have a bunch. A barber's hone is made to remove metal and provide a reasonable cutting edge. A Naniwa 12k is made to polish an edge to a smooth finish. Using a Naniwa 12k for touch ups will work but take more time than a barber's hone, depending on the wear on the edge when starting to refresh the edge. A barber's hone can and has been used to finish an edge as the one and only hone needed for touch ups before stropping and shaving. If it were able to produce as smooth a finish as the Naniwa 12k I would guess they would be extremely popular.

Coticules were also popular 'barber's hones' because with slurry they removed metal relatively quickly and w/ lather or water alone produced a smooth edge. The learning curve with coticules is much steeper than Naniwa 12k's and Swaty's.

As with everything in life, the devil is in the details.

Why do the Coticules have a steeper learning curve?

It's not the "Coticule that has the steeper learning curve it is using the Slurry that does...

Keep in mind the any stone that can create slurry can do the exact same thing.. So yes you can create slurry on the Naniwa 12k and do the same thing as a Coticule I used a Norton 8k to do the same thing, Lynn did a bevel to shave on a Escher, and Sham did it on a Japanese Natural..
There is nothing special about the Coticule, it is learning to use the slurry that takes time... Way back when we used just a Norton 4/8 to do everything and used slurry on the 4k for bad bevels... Oh yeah there is that small pesky problem of wearing out the stone way way faster

Barber's hones are a bit different they are designed to be very fast cutters and still give a decent shave...
I am not quite sure where the grit equivalent drops in at but I suspect it is much lower then many believe. The only tests you can use to compare is the shave test and the scratch test.. Shave wise is is pretty hard to guage unless you only have 1-2 razors.. Scratch wise most every one I have tested leaves deeper marks then any finish stone I use.......

Barber hone is also smaller - so it is convenient to keep with your razor(s).

I keep mine in the box with my razors. If I need to touch up the razor it is ready to use.

I can also take my barber hone in my travel kit - around same length as razors and not very wide either.

All the best,
Michael

Before I stumbled on to this cursed web site, I kept my razors "shave ready" using a Reliance barber's hone. Two sided. One side says "Use this side first." Other side says "Finish here." Then stropping. In my ignorance, it worked fine for me until I learned about all the other paraphernalia available. Now I'm not satisfied with anything.

Originally Posted by fdennis

Before I stumbled on to this cursed web site, I kept my razors "shave ready" using a Reliance barber's hone. Two sided. One side says "Use this side first." Other side says "Finish here." Then stropping. In my ignorance, it worked fine for me until I learned about all the other paraphernalia available. Now I'm not satisfied with anything.

MEEEEEE toooooo I used a very smooth Arkansas for over 20 years.... But now I am enlightened hehehe

Originally Posted by gssixgun

MEEEEEE toooooo I used a very smooth Arkansas for over 20 years.... But now I am enlightened hehehe

Why does enlightenment always seems to cost!! I have been enlightened and not not only do I have to collect razors, but I have to collect brushes and hones.....

Indeed, increased knowledge often destroys our contended lethargy, awakening us to a whole world of razors that are at least 0.001% sharper than ours, because someone used a stone costing $397 more…

I do like my Naniwa 12K a lot, I gotta say...

Originally Posted by fdennis

Before I stumbled on to this cursed web site, I kept my razors "shave ready" using a Reliance barber's hone. Two sided. One side says "Use this side first." Other side says "Finish here." Then stropping. In my ignorance, it worked fine for me until I learned about all the other paraphernalia available. Now I'm not satisfied with anything.