Swatty

[RHensley]

I've used a lot of different hones in life for all kinds of blades. I use a Lansky set to hone my pocket and hunting knife. I've also found that the Swatty pocket hone is great for that momentary touch up on your pocket and hunting knife. Just thought I would through this out there for anyone with the pocket hones and think that straight razors are all they are good for. They're really unique stones.

 

[drmoss_ca]

I do the same - they're a bit coarse for razors, but great for a knife. I have one particularly fine barber hone that I use to dress hard Arkansas stones and the Spyderco UF. Brings up a lovely mirror finish.

 

[Razorfaust]

I don't have any experience with a Swaty but I do have a Frictionite barber hone, in fact it was my first hone. they work ok for bringing an edge back in a pinch but never found them satisfactory compared to a proper refresh or honing job. I guess they had their place in barber history when a blade just needed a quick tune up to service a client. I never thought of using them on a pocket knife and might give it a try. I usually use my small coticule on my pocket folders as its fast enough and does a good job.

 

[RHensley]

I don't have any experience with a Swaty but I do have a Frictionite barber hone, in fact it was my first hone. they work ok for bringing an edge back in a pinch but never found them satisfactory compared to a proper refresh or honing job. I guess they had their place in barber history when a blade just needed a quick tune up to service a client. I never thought of using them on a pocket knife and might give it a try. I usually use my small coticule on my pocket folders as its fast enough and does a good job.

As long as the edge is not too trashed the barber pocket hone will bring it back. I’ve touched up my edge on my knife after field dressing and skinning deer.

 

[Bogie]

I'm not a fan of the Swaty, although they will spiff up a marginal edge. If you have a good finishing stone that is where I would go. However, If I was a barber and needed a quick touch up, a Swaty probably would be ok.

 

[Marshal]

I've been shaving with nothing but a Swaty hone and one razor for a long time now. It's not the finest hone in the world, but it does reach bare minimum for a comfortable shave. And they're surprisingly quick, usually requiring 10 passes or less to bring an edge back into shaving form. I could spend 30 minutes or more working the blade on one of the sundry natural stones I have, 15 or so working them up the progression of one of my synthetic sets, or I can spend less than a minute getting the barber stone wet and running the blade over it just a few passes. For utilitarian purposes, they're difficult to beat.

I've used it on my pocket knife in a pinch too. I'll agree, they're good for just about anything one might want to make sharp. But for my knives at this juncture I'm usually content to just use my Shapton Kuromaku 1K stone.

 

[Bogie]

Message here is..... if it works, use it!

 

[Leatherstockings]

I rember reading about the Norton barber hones and how they were highly sought after by people competing in axe competitions. I don't know how much truth was behind this, but I kepts seeing it repeated when barber hones were being discussed.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Anyone remember the craze for them back on the Yahoo SRP? Two-line, three-line and even copycats like the Pyke (which became Norton) "American Swaty"? I have one of each and of them, the Pyke is the winner.