It has been recommended (I'm not discounting the recommendation at all) to get a barbers hone but I was wondering about pastes. My strop came with 0.5 micron chromium oxide on the back (rough) side. how does that compare to a barbers hone?
I used nothing but a barbers hone and a strop for 28 years, until I found the Internet forums. Then, I overdosed on information and new ideas and ended up buying and trying all kinds of hones and pastes. I wish I had stayed with the barbers hone but once you've eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, you can't go back into the Garden and it's the same with letting the genie out of the bottle. In any case, to answer your question, pastes are great. Chromium oxide, for example, will give you a smoother edge than you can get from a barbers hone. Once you've used chromium oxide on the blade, I doubt that you'll be happy with just a barbers hone. You will probably use it to refresh the edge and then use the paste. I've heard some people say that using pastes only could round the bevel and the razor might, potentially, need to be rehoned someday but I don't think anyone has actually used only pastes long enough to know. I personally don't use pastes anymore because I think hone-only edges stay sharper longer but I used a barber hone for years and it seems more natural to me. Since you've already got the chromium oxide, go ahead and use it. You can always get a hone later.
Thanks a ton for your input. I plan on mainly sending my razor out to be honed. But I'm trying to find out what is acceptable equipment for me to be doing my touch ups. I'm beginning to think that a barbers hone and paste (most likely just CrOx) might be the best solution. That way I can send my razors out a little less often for honing and still have a sharp smooth edge.
With a barbers hone and chromium oxide you will NEVER have to send your razor out for honing, unless it's damaged somehow (dropped, dinged on faucet, etc.).
You can get a couple sheets of 400 or 600 grit wet/dry abrasive paper to lap it and a sheet of 1000 grit to put a smooth finish on it. Barber hones are very hard and don't need to be lapped very often. The one I bought new in 1980 was never lapped until this year and not because it actually needed it.
I should have put in this post...I went to the antique shop here in town and picked up a couple of barber's hones. One barely used and the other has some scratches. I want to lap them both just to make sure they are clean and smooth and ready to go.
ChrOx IMHO works better. I've had very good results with it as well as the more current diamond paste working from 2 micron to 1 then .05. Place the hone on a piece of glass that you have placed a 400 to 600 grit sandpaper on and just rub it back and forth. Before lapping mark the side you want to lap with a ruler and pencil to form an X pattern and a couple of straight across lines. When these are gone the hone is flat.
