My shave results; edge comparisons.

[SliceOfLife]

Another early post... same reason... but different reason for the reason.

Don't expect to ever sell this because it won't sell for anything. May pif it or do what I planned originally (toss it in my box of random stones I dont care about).


Not because it's bad. It's actually decent. But at this point, I am not (and noone needs to be) interested in decent.


Some random stone I wasn't sure was even a finisher... but I lapped it and it's smooth as glass.

Probably something similar to those british Dry hones... Very low abrasive content.

I did 50 strokes to the same razor with the Frictionite finish from the review above...


Wiping the razor after honing had just enough swarf to prove it is actually a hone... but really not much at all. It's pretty slow and decently fine.

Stropped it and it HHT just well enough to get a shave test... some hangers, some silent falls, just pretty much "might be surprising".




And it was. Shave was decent. Better than I was expecting. I could use this daily and not hate shaving.

Comfort:46/50
Closeness: 43/50
Total: 89/100


The stone?

Some random Thuri/coti-like* 6 or 7 inch cut with no markings except the mold lines you see on certain (british) synths. Stone itself looks like junk... concrete/granite countertop/sidewalk kind of coloring. Very unassuming stone. Biggest drawback would be how slow it clearly is. That in mind, not a great barber hone... in that anyone with experience will want something better and anyone with less experience will want something faster. Probably a passable touchup stone. May PIF it or something, who knows what mood might strike me.

*Talking about the dimensions, stone material itself is nothing like a Thuri/Coti.

 

[Empire straights]

Natural stones just keep looking better and better.


Interestingly, the synth Cotis (Not counting the JGES which are just junk) have always been pretty consistently good in my experience. Even though the texture varies a great deal, I've seen no "breakdown" like I see with many other barber synths... suggesting that certain types are much more susceptible to it than others. Likewise the Sintered quartz Bracketts hones seem immune.

"Natural stones just keep looking better and better." One of the smarter things I've seen in a long time... anywhere. I know this is a 4 year old post but but it's a PSA that should go out. If you're only sharpening razors on them, good natural stones last generations. I've got rock my great- great- great grandkids will hone on. I have faith in that because we haven't changed much in the last 500 years. That said, I would like to try out a synth coti in place of a diamond plate but at the moment it's easier and cheaper to find coarse coticules then it is to find the synth ones.

 

[Empire straights]

So with these razor hones; when I was doing these reviews regularly; I would always try to resell them before posting my reviews; so I wasn't promoting a stone right before I sold it to bump up the price. This one you get a few days early; because I'm keeping it.


Another American Hone Co... One of three recent pickups I will be testing. This one reminded me of the "American Buddy" that was my best "frictionite" so far... some small custom/store branded that was similar but not identical to a frictionite 00; but actually was better than the 00's I've owned. And this stone definitely keeps that going.


The "Good Luck Special Hone"... which sounds to me like some broken-English-named product I'd find in a street market somewhere.

I THINK this stone was NOS when I got it. Very clean and the bag looked basically untouched. There's a crack and some crazing that was clearly chamfered out in the coarse side; but the fine side was immaculate.

And this stone is probably the best representation of how I now think these frictionites are supposed to behave. It's both fast and heavily wearing/glazing... after confirming it was flat by lapping, it rapidly broke in and got quite glassy and smooth to the touch; but it still pulls swarf quickly... there are visible pores in the surface; but otherwise it looks and feels like a remarkably smooth piece of unglazed pottery.

Maybe it's a condition difference or maybe this is just a better mix than the frictionites I've owned otherwise; but this gives me that "This is what these stones all aspired to be" feeling.

The shave was perfectly comfy... with the only complaints being some slight weepers on spots I went back over more aggressively than a typical shave BECAUSE it was so comfy I felt I could get away with it (and I'd not shaved in some time so my face was bumpier than usual). Didn't feel them, even when I used aftershave; but saw some red appearing shortly after.

Closeness was up there. A hair behind the closest shaves I get; but close enough I'd say it's in the realm of a "sloppy" shave with a top notch closeness finish; markedly better than average.


Comfort: 47.5
Closeness: 47.0
Overall: 94.5

I have an American hone Co. That's stamped "Ralph's 00" (I would imagine the department store) that I've only used on knives and for polishing axes and seem pretty typical from what I've read over many threads. The things I've used it for I could see it being a decent razor Hone once once broken in. They are excellent on knives and would like to buy mire to put chisels on and maybe kiridashis. I've thought about using mine on the estima kit I bought recently. I know it's for lithograph but I bet that German steel will do fine in soft woods.

 

[duke762]

So with these razor hones; when I was doing these reviews regularly; I would always try to resell them before posting my reviews; so I wasn't promoting a stone right before I sold it to bump up the price. This one you get a few days early; because I'm keeping it.

That's incredibly thoughtful and gentlemanly behavior! Nice job Slash!

 

[SliceOfLife]

I have an American hone Co. That's stamped "Ralph's 00" (I would imagine the department store) that I've only used on knives and for polishing axes and seem pretty typical from what I've read over many threads. The things I've used it for I could see it being a decent razor Hone once once broken in. They are excellent on knives and would like to buy mire to put chisels on and maybe kiridashis. I've thought about using mine on the estima kit I bought recently. I know it's for lithograph but I bet that German steel will do fine in soft woods.

Got a picture? Is it different at all from how the razor hone frictionites typically look; or do you think it is a razor hone that you just personally use for knives?

In general, I've been fairly pleased with these store branded frictionites. I'd certainly value them equally with 00's... and since they usually sell for less; they can even be a deal if you like frictionites... that said... they still seem to usually fetch over $100... which is above what I'd personally pay for one. You can get a decent coti or two for that and maybe even luck into a Thuri or PDSO near that price.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Today's shave is a Frictionite 00 Junior that I got in a lot and is going in the "sell when I get around to it" pile.

Honing on it, I was thinking... "Hmm maybe my standards have dropped. This feels finer than I remember them being, and that "lucky" hone impressed me so much..."

Half expected this to punch right up there with the lucky.

It did not.

EXACTLY what I remember 00's shaving like.
42/50 Comfort
38/50 Closeness

80/100 total.

I mean, these 00's are consistent if they're anything... maybe not the exact same rankings every time... But very consistently high 70's low 80's overall... but honestly... capable is the nicest thing I can say about them. I will never understand the love these get... I hear they are partly axe-man driven valuations... like the Nortons... but most I've seen seem to be selling to razor guys. I just don't get it. I mean they're better than a stone cold random blindly chosen synth barber hone... out of every synth barber hone ever made... but they aren't "go out and look for one" good.

Don't pay what these sell for if you want a razor hone. That simple.

Next up is probably that Charnley that just got delivered.

 

[firebox]

Ok. My $.02 worth. I've tried quite a few hones and stones. I have Shapton's to get my blades ready to shave. 1K, 4K, 8K, Then I use a Belgium Coticule and a JNAT. I finish up with a .005 diamond pasted paddle strop. This is what works for me. I use these stones only for razors and use other less expensive for other knives. Muscle memory honing razors makes it tough for me to transition back to regular knife blades/angles. Just my experience. Everyone haves their favorite stones, and there many that are good. I started with Norton stones and settled on Shapton Glass. For your consideration.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Yeah, when I'm active on eBay... almost every shave I have is testing a new stone out... But when I'm not active; 90% of my shaves are Jnat, Thuri, PDSO. 9% are ark or exceptional coti. and 1% are mystery hones/etc. My preference and recommendations are basically going to follow that exact line. This thread is more of a homage to my collecting and how I accrue a bunch of stones; often that I wouldn't have sought out, but stumbled into... and making a record of the ones that are pleasant surprises.

This is also finishers only (I think I do comment a bit on the coarse side of a few 2 sideds... but mostly finisher only).

I pretty much use nothing but DMTs up to the 8000 mesh one for razors... and haven't really diverged from that in more than a decade. I tried a ton of alternatives... but nothing is as fast and mindless (for me) as slapping an eBay razor on a DMT series for a few minutes and then going to my finishers. Learning the pressure and cleaning preferences of the 8000 took a little effort... but once I got that dialed in... it's autopilot for me.

I mean I MAY do slurry on a coti or a washita or something with a razor every now and then for some midrange work for kicks... but it's not a functional choice or preference. It takes bare minimum ten times as long to accomplish the same thing as DMTs would... so it's mostly just a fun excuse to use that particular stone.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Today:

Charnley Forest

As prototypical as they make em. Dark green with the red/purple swirls. Everything you expect from a Charnley. Used with Water.


Right off the bat; it was not as sharp as the Good Luck hone or the brown whatever, but was a touch sharper than the Junior 00.

There was some drag on the shave; enough to notice a little extra irritation being generated vs a perfect edge; but completely reasonable. First razor of the past 4 that didn't generate any weepers... so there was good news... but enough irritation my face had a slight warmth to spots after the shave... kind of post exfoliation feel. Not unpleasant, but definitely indicative of a little more skin impact than the previous razors. A/S burn almost on par with the 00... maybe a tiny bit less... Combined... I'd say it gets a half point more than the 00 for comfort.

Closeness is almost identical to the brown stone. Again I'd give it a half point edge. After a little skin calming, it's a full point ahead of the brown stone. Behind the Good Luck though.

Comfort 42.5/50
Closeness 44/50

Total 86.5/50

 

[eKretz]

I haven't visited in a while, but happened to glance in today after being PM'ed with some questions. (Unrelated to this thread, but started reading the recent posts here).

If you want to boost a barber hone even a bit further, after you've lapped it to a fairly fine level, hit it lightly and evenly on a buffing wheel. It gives some of them even a little more ability to bring out a fine edge. As I understand it, some of the old time barber hone manufacturers used to do this themselves.

 

[SliceOfLife]

So Today was another popcorned unlabeled frictionite type (AMHoneCo Imprint remains). Similar to My shave results; edge comparisons. - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/my-shave-results-edge-comparisons.569284/post-10336314

But more red/tan and less grey.

For whatever reason I just assumed "It'll be a 00" and took pics to throw it up on eBay as a possible 00 with a lot of crazing and move on...

Had touched up a razor to use for writing this review and was going to list the stone on eBay this morning before shaving... but said; well I better shave test first... just in case it turns out to be special then I won't have to go and take the listing back down.

Now this one is the second most crazed one I've owned after the one linked above... and the colors are washed out enough it's hard to visually tell a difference between the coarse and fine side

The shave immediately was a little surprising. Great with-the-grain feel. Sharp but comfy. Before I even went to my second pass; I knew this was not a 00. This is another random, better, frictionite.

Honestly; the slightest A/S burn is the only knock I can give it for comfort... and closeness... Is thuri level. I mean if I want to be REALLY critical; maybe I could imagine it trails a Thuri half a pt for closeness... New #1 Frictionite and tied for #2 synth Barber hone overall.

Maybe once I get caught up on my testing new stones I'll blind shave finishes from Synth coti, this Frictionite, and the Mystery Tan synth. (96.5,96.5,97 scores)

49/50 Comfort
47.5/50 Closeness

Total: 96.5

 

[SliceOfLife]

Today, one of the long skinny vintage Made in Britain Dry hone synths. Meant to find a pic online of one with a good label, but can't today though these aren't rare... guess no one posts them much.

They're like 150x25mm typically... very black... and kind of the texture of an ultra hard and fine carbo.


This one felt extra coarse under the razor to me... really didn't expect it to even HHT well enough to shave test with.

But it did. Filleted the hairs like a toothy but very thin edge tends to.

Ironically the shave was the opposite of what those edges tend to be. Basically felt like a coarse coticule. Very much in the "Can't cut me... and while it isn't tugging... it grabs the hair enough it feels JUST shy of tugging"

Comfort was hard to score... because it was legitimately close to Coticule comfy... but did have that "it's not super sharp" feeling of grip. Tiniest bit of A/S burn but only on my upper lip (have the scrape down there instead of shaving). But some irritation showing up 10 minutes or so after the shave.

All together I'd say it is a 40 for comfort... with most of those points lost for the irritation that showed up post shave.

Closeness was really a shock. I expected as I wrapped up the shave this would be like a 46+ for comfort, but lose a ton of points on closeness... but it really didn't. Not the closest shave by any means... but very solid.

Far better than I remember these being; but again... that really just makes it passable.

40/50 Comfort
46/50 Closeness

Overall 86/100

 

[SliceOfLife]

Today was this stone:

Mystery hones... Let's see what you have

:) So to me, the outside two look more “standard color” BBW than the one in the center. That said, I have BBW that range from deeply dark blue to so light purple it is almost pink. But it is the huge garnet dots that my eye is drawn to. When I get a chance I’ll find some boxes with purple hones...

www.badgerandblade.com

Story is bought it over 2 yrs ago in a lot; figuring it was a Synth I'd toss.. Arrived and based on looks pretty much just assumed it is a La Lorraine / rouge du salm. Only used it a time or two and it was fine. Saw it on my shelf of "Sell these eventually" and figured I'd test it out since that's not likely to happen anytime soon.


Shave was perfectly comfy with almost imperceptible A/S burn

Closeness is excellent.

49.5/50 Comfort
47/50 Closeness

Overall: 96.5

 

[SliceOfLife]

Another "synth/reform" coticule. This one with a weird rubbery brown leather patterned back instead of the usual black slate-ish back.

Haven't used the one reviewed in this thread in a long time, but this one immediately felt much faster and a little softer to me.


Shave is solid; but a noticeable step down from yesterday.

47/50 comfort
45/50 closeness

92/100 overall


Got 6 more synths waiting to review... a couple unmarked, another swaty, another frictionite, a couple new ones... and maybe I'll give another Norton a review for #7.