Honing set-ups and living space

[Chimensch]

A question on the Italian forum got me thinking about the constraints that guide our decisions and I realized something about my honing choices that I don't think I've ever seen addressed on the forums: how much space do you have available for a dedicated honing area.

I live in an apartment and don't have a dedicated hobby/work area. The thought of honing with a set of 8" x 3" synthetic hones (for the sake of argument, let's say 4, 1K, 4K, 8K and 12K) that have to be soaked and laid on a table fills me with dread. Clear the dining room table, put down an oil cloth, go find the tub, fill it in the sink and carry it to the dining room, soak the stones, etc. Then work and put everything away afterwards.

This led me, somewhat unconsciously, to make the choices that I did. A 1" x 5" coticule/bbw combination stone that I can do everything on. I hold it in my hand and stand in front the sink in the bathroom. Less mess, easier to clean up and put away.

So my question to you all is how you are physically organized to hone. Do you have a dedicated area?

 

[SliceOfLife]

I did in my apartment. I had a 4'x2' or so desk and a end table next to it that held a tupperware for soaking. Not so much here. I just use my computer desk.

 

[azmark]

Good question and I'm sure we can learn quite a bit from everyone's method.

I keep my hones in an old humidor that fits 3 coticles, BBW, Norton combo, and Aoto and DMT 1200. The Kiita is the only one I keep in a shirt drawer actually since it is loan from another member.

Everything is in my office at home in the bathroom. I use an old piece of remnant carpet, about 24" x 24" square and lay it on an extra little desk I have where I hone. The carpet is the stain resistant kind so I don't have to worry about water leaking through or a blade falling on something other than the pad. And the carpet pad is soft enough to lay the razor down on without having to worry about damaging a finished edge.

Since I'm using my natural stones more I don't have to have anything soaking. Just a bowl with water or spray bottle.

 

[Chimensch]

I did in my apartment. I had a 4'x2' or so desk and a end table next to it that held a tupperware for soaking. Not so much here. I just use my computer desk.

Were you single at the time?

 

[professorchaos]

Large hones or numerous hones don't have to take a lot of space. Or: space constraints needn't require one to forgo large hones. I have quite a few hones in all different sizes, from 6x2 up to a pair of 8x4x4s. They fill one 12x8x8 tub and one 12x4x4 tub. Less than half a shelf in a kitchen cabinet. When I hone, I hone in the kitchen, next to the sink. It allows me to soak the hones, provides water for moistening them and a water proof surface to work on.

 

[mainaman]

I rent a one bedroom apartment, but I have a nice size tub for storage, and I never soaked my hones.
Now I only use 1k synthetic and all naturals so still no need to soak.
All extra stones are in a box on top of my kitchen cabinet.

 

[treydampier]

I honed in my little 1 bedroom on a round glass coffee table with my Naniwa's. My key was I would hone 5-6 razors at a time and use only one hone at a time. Plus with the Naniwa super stones, I just used a spray bottle to wet them and placed everything on an old towel.

 

[Sticky]

Most of the time I use a 7/8" x 4 1/3" E 1200 DMT and the same sized EE 8000 (the green and tan hones in my current avatar). For normal touch-up and maintenance I use a barber hone, lately a combination 00 Frictionite. I have larger hones but prefer the smaller ones.

I hone at my computer desk over a plastic pencil box with a spray water bottle and a towel. I have a dedicated hobby/work area but it isn't used for the razor hobby.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Were you single at the time?

Single, but had a roommate in a 2 bedroom. So kept pretty much everything that wasn't in the kitchen/bathroom in my bedroom.

 

[honed]

I see that I'm blessed.
I have a work-shop next to the garage & a dedicated "hobby-room" in my house.
Or like my wife likes to put it "our two kids share one play-room, but their GROWN dad has to have two for himself"

 

[jendeindustries]

I lost my wife and kids in some piles of stones a while back....

Just kidding - My sharpening stuff is mostly contained in my workshop, which is across town, and my kitchen table (and a little extra space around the house...)

I try to contain it, but it is difficult.

 

[ouch]

It takes hardly any space at all. All you need is about one square foot next to the sink. In my case is involves the simple task of sliding my cutting board to the side.

I keep my stones in several plastic shoe boxes from the dollar store, and when I start a session I place one of the boxes in the sink. The main body holds flattening stones, naguras, and any stone that needs a long soak. The roughly 1/4" deep cover takes stones that only need a quick dip (eg: GlassStones) or stones with wood bases that I prefer not to totally submerge. Where to keep the stones after proceeding to the next grit? What do you think the dish drainer is for?

Simple as pie.

 

[Bart]

I hone sitting at the kitchen table. I usually have one Coticule, a small cup with water and a roll of kitchen paper.
When it's time to finish I get up and go to the sink, where I can thoroughly rinse the hone and the razor.

 

[huntmol]

^I hone the same way as Bart! At the kitchen table on a small hand towl with a small cup of water, then just walk over to the sink to rinse my hones off once I'm finished.

 

[Alacrity59]

I know that folk will have some problems with my approach but it has worked for me for many years. I use a fairly small Rubbermaid storage container where my honing stones sit soaking in water. (I've been lucky not to have a stone split on me I guess). I use the same containers for storing my shoe polishing equipment, first aid supplies, emergency kit (candles, matches, wind up radio, etc,), electronics stuff (soldering iron, multi meter, continuity testor, etc.)

It takes very little space to store quite a number of these containers that are well labelled. They stack very well and allow one to use vertical space on a top closet shelf that would not otherwise not be used.

I hone on top of the daily newspaper at the kitchen table. I have a bay window where I can watch the birds feed . . . while I have my coffee while honing. When I'm finished . . . I toss the paper in the blue bin for recycling.

 

[Huxley]

It varies, i used to hone on the granite cutting board in the kitchen but i now hone on an old steel mouse mat with a rubber backing, means i can control the angle to make honing a bit easier especially if i have a tang that catches the stone, works very well for me.

Oh sorry meant to say i hone in the bedroom whilst sitting on the bed, i usually have the tv or some music on just to relax and unwind, it's quite nice actually and funnily enough i have not long finished my collection on my c12k for a touch up.

All three of my stones a coti, c12k and a multi edge diamond hone are kept on the drawers i will however have three stones and an additional razor coming so finding room for that will be fun.

 

[gary haywood]

Kitchen table with a towel. My coiticule some water and the sink is near by plus paper towel. i store my hones in a tub in my bedroom