Thread: Difference in Carborundum Hones

That particular scan is from a current online auction, and I think it's against the rules to post the link at this time. However, you could always go to your favorite online auction site and search the keywords "Carborundum catalog." I'm sure you'll find what you need. =)

Me

I have my grandfathers Aloxite Razor hone no. 200 is this hone a fine finisher??

Originally Posted by nessmuck

I have my grandfathers Aloxite Razor hone no. 200 is this hone a fine finisher??

It depends on what you consider to be fine. Most people don't consider barber hones to be finishers because, though fine, they cut fast. Put it this way, the Carborundum 200 Aloxite is comparable to a Swaty and either will improve the edge off of a Norton 8k. It won't produce an edge as good as a Chinese hone, a typical coticule, or an Escher/Thuringian.

anyone familiar with a carborundum N0. 159 that I talked an ex-barber out of?

Originally Posted by nickedNsliced

anyone familiar with a carborundum N0. 159 that I talked an ex-barber out of?

Never heard of the 159 razor hone. What are the dimensions? Photos? Single-grit or double-grit?

Thanx,
Christopher

Originally Posted by CJBianco

Never heard of the 159 razor hone. What are the dimensions? Photos? Single-grit or double-grit?

Thanx,
Christopher

the dimentions are 6x2x5/8, its single grit, and I already posted photos here http://www.straightrazorplace.com/fo...info-help.html before I remembered I could search the forums....its the third and fourth picture. the pictures aren't that good, but only digital camera I have is the webcam on my laptop.

Ok, so I'm hoping someone, possibly the original poster will see this. Chances are this is a dead thread. BUT, i need help. I have a Carborundum razor hone with the number 201. Its a 2 sided hone, one gray and another creamy gray i guess you could call it. Anyways im new to straight razor shaving, I've used it twice but my barber said it might need a bit of a hone. I got this from my grandfathers after he passed and I can tell its old after reading most of these thread posts. I'll post some pics but, I hope someone sees this.

My question is that my barber said its already pretty sharp it just may need to be honed a bit. that being said i dont know if its a good hone fo rthat sort of job.

The gray seems smoother than the white but its kind of hard to tell.

So this is an interesting bit of info(at least I thought so).
Today in the mail came last week's eb*y auction purchase. A Carborundum hone of 1904. I think it's the oldest thing in my house now. Anyway, it's my first barber hone because I wanted to compare old school hones to the Shapton 16000.

(I also got a swaty stone. It's texture is like polished marble. Haven't played with it yet)

Unless I'm doing something wrong on the Shapton(which is likely) our technology has backtracked.
The edge difference between the Shapton and the Carborundum are very noticeable. Yes, my Shapton is flat, and no, I didn't do anything to the 1904 hone but open the mailing package, and drop a little water on it.

about 5 passes on the Shapton then to the leather strop gave me a rough shave.
About 5 passes on the Carborundum then the leather gave me a super smooth shave.

What's the deal. does anyone with experience understand how a grittier stone can give a smoother shave?
(I'm still waiting in the mail for a 65x lens to use for visual reference)
Is the 101A stone actually finer than the 16000 Shapton stone?

Having noticed better honing on the 100+ year old stone, how come Shapton's cost 4x as much?

Originally Posted by Elon9669

So this is an interesting bit of info(at least I thought so).
Today in the mail came last week's eb*y auction purchase. A Carborundum hone of 1904. I think it's the oldest thing in my house now. Anyway, it's my first barber hone because I wanted to compare old school hones to the Shapton 16000.

(I also got a swaty stone. It's texture is like polished marble. Haven't played with it yet)

Unless I'm doing something wrong on the Shapton(which is likely) our technology has backtracked.
The edge difference between the Shapton and the Carborundum are very noticeable. Yes, my Shapton is flat, and no, I didn't do anything to the 1904 hone but open the mailing package, and drop a little water on it.

about 5 passes on the Shapton then to the leather strop gave me a rough shave.
About 5 passes on the Carborundum then the leather gave me a super smooth shave.

What's the deal. does anyone with experience understand how a grittier stone can give a smoother shave?
(I'm still waiting in the mail for a 65x lens to use for visual reference)
Is the 101A stone actually finer than the 16000 Shapton stone?

Having noticed better honing on the 100+ year old stone, how come Shapton's cost 4x as much?

The deal... aha that is the magic of it all.

A lot depends on the steel, your face, your whiskers and the
the current state of the blade.

As fine as the Shapton is it may take many more laps to
close the edge. The 16K shapton is way finer than the barber hone.

You did something very correct. Your five laps on the carborundum
hone is about the right number. More and you begin to build a burr
less may not be enough. Your five perfect laps on the
carborundum developed a strop ready edge and the
strop did the rest.

I would revisit the Shapton. Walk a line of circles up and down the hone
then finish with 10-15 normal hone strokes using clear water.
The edge from the carborundum barber hone will just improve.

But the carborundum barber hones are good ones, fast cutters and
about as fine as that type of hone and material can get.

The water separation of ultra fine grits used by Carborundum and
clay based barber hone makers works. There may not be a better
way to do it even today (see Stokes Law).

Also when a Carborundum hone appears to glaze over and polish
it will hone even finer. Just rinse it off and rub it clean with your
thumb and a splash of slightly soapy water if it gets too bad.