Carborundum 104

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Carborundum #104 Barber Hone 

The #104 Barber Hone from the Carborundum Company is a bit smaller than the standard #100-103 hones. I’d guess this was intended to be a travel-size option or a lower priced stone for frugal customers. It’s a little bit thicker than those early-series stones too, which I think makes it a bit easier to hold.

This is a single-sided Silicon Carbide stone; like the other SIC hones, how it’s lapped and the technique used will determine how fine the finished edge will be. This stone was sold as ‘unfilled’, meaning that the customer might want to ‘fill’ the stone with a lubricant to tame the stone’s aggressive nature. Impregnating the stone with either substance would slow down the cutting and allow the user to achieve a keener and smoother edge.

Barber hones are not finishing stones – they are for tuning up a tugging edge so you can get through the shave without having to rehone from scratch. And edge from a barber hone will not be identical to what can be done on a high-end polishing stone following a full honing progression.

I find the Carborundum SIC hones to be very serviceable options and an ideal choice for anyone starting out with straight razors or anyone that wants a bit of extra insurance in their Dopp kit or shaving cabinet at home.  

Approx. Dimension: 3.0 x 2.0 x 0.6” / 76 x 50 x 15 mm

Weight: 3.5 oz / 100 g

If you have any questions,info or feedback about this hone, shoot me an email here. 

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© Keith V Johnson 2014 - 2018