so I found my great great grandfather's razor, strop, and hone this weekend. The hone is a Frank Swatty barber's hone. It has a few raised areas that spear to be minerals. I have read they you shouldn't really lap these hones, so was wondering what the best way to fix this is, to make it usable.
I believe in Glen's @gssixgun barber hone video he mentions that he just the freshly lapped the one he was using. I dont know if brand or composition makes a difference, just an observation.
I lapped mine, no problems. Then again, it's not a Swaty. Don't know if that makes a difference or not. *shrug*
You can lap them BUT Three issues come up #1). I have never had the issue with a Swaty but some of the BH's are only a coating around a core.. Once they start to erode there is little left . #2). Getting the finish back, these hones were actually Finished / Burnished Much like an Arkansas Stone the finish on the steel is determined by the finish of the stone.. So after lapping out the bad stuff you need to have a plan to re-burnish the hone.. #3) Once these start to erode you may or may not ever be able to get them back.. You just have to try and see, but don't be disappointed if you start to lap and chunks come out rendering the hone useless Good Luck
Here comes the noob! Is Swaty the brand name? Or is it a nick name for a specific type of hone? My guess is brand name. Congratulations on finding this treasure. I think finding things that belonged to an ancestor is awesome! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Oh cool!! Thanks for the info. Some day I'll have the money to buy stuff like that!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Keep your eyes open at antique and thrift stores. I passed up one this past weekend, a Swaty for $15. It was roughed up. I have lapped my Cattaraugus BH. It's same as the 3rd image down in this other sites page. Burnishing isn't too mysterious.
It cleaned up with no lapping needed. I scraped it down with a single edge blade, and used a brush to scub it. Very happy.
That is a barber's hone. I have been reading on how to use it. Slap enough lather on it to break the surface tension of the water, and do five x strokes with no pressure on the hone. Have a few I will try this on, but my next two shaves are booked with new arrivals.
Hello I know this is a very old post you have here about your swatty stone. I just purchased one and it is in great shape. I used the method of puting shave cream on mine and I started with possibly to many I did 10 light strokes. I will see in the morning.
Well, welcome to your first post. It only took you 4 years to post the first one. Do you mind sharing your Straight Razor shaving history? Perhaps a few pics of your blades??
Hello Arkoholic, I started using Strait Razors Strait Razor 2012. My very first Strait Boker 5/8 Dovo 6/8 Boker 6/8 Thiers-Issard 7/8 2 Koraat Customs Ralf Aust 7/8 I signed up for this forum 4 years ago but at the time I was using SRP Forum and looking at different areas. While on a ship the internet is never very reliable. So I mostly just look over post and when inport I will watch utube videos and take notes when it comes to honing etc. I am a Merchant Seaman, so I travel a lot and trying to carry around a bunch of stones just doesn’t work very well. So I have been looking at ways to lighten the load and take just the bare minimum. Just what I would need to keep my Straits (That I have with me) touched up until I get back home to give them a thorough honing for the next time at sea provided they need it. I keep a log of how many shave's I perform on razor as well as what I tried etc. I am currently using a Balsa(Chromium Green Oxide) and a diamond felt board which work quite well(I purchased from (Classic Edge). But I really like the idea of just trying a Barber Hone. Its small and if it works for me that would lighten my load quite a bit. This morning was the trial and after utilizing 10 x-strokes with shaving cream over the Swaty Hone and Linen/Leather Strop Shave Cream(CELLA). I have to say it was an outstanding shave this morning. My Thiers-Issard is a little more temperamental and I will have to have a go at it to see how well it likes the hone. I appreciate all of the feed back I will look at everyone after I am done responding to yours. As far as pictures go, once I am inport and I have better bandwidth I will post some pics of my current Straits I have with me. The rest are in lay-up at home.