Doug Hepler
10-29-2017, 4:52 PM
I recently recognized a stone that I inherited years ago as a Norton Razor Hone. This is a two-sided synthetic stone with (roughly) 320 grit on the red side and very fine grit (finer than 8000) on the black side. It measures 2" x 5⅛" x ¾" and has the oval-shaped Norton logo on the black side.
I am posting to see whether anyone has used one of these for sharpening woodworking tools and has any comments.
According to what I have been able to learn from straight razor forums, these have not been manufactured for decades (possibly a century) and are collector items among straight razor afficionados. They are also reportedly very much in demand among competitive axe racers. They reportedly sell on e-bay for high hundreds of dollars, but they also show up at garage sales and the like as junk, available for a few dollars.
I find this hone extremely useful for honing chisels and plane irons. Obviously, the original concept was to restore an edge with the red side and then polish it with the black side. I think that the jump from 320 (or whatever it is) to >8000 is too steep. For gradual honing through successively finer grits, the black side would be used after a fine diamond or ceramic stone and followed by green stropping compound. That should put a “65 gram” edge on the tool.
Straight razor enthusiasts have mixed opinions about how good this is as a razor hone. Some think it is wonderful and others are unimpressed. Everyone seems to agree that, as a useful hone, they are not worth the prices sometimes paid.
Doug
370568
I am posting to see whether anyone has used one of these for sharpening woodworking tools and has any comments.
According to what I have been able to learn from straight razor forums, these have not been manufactured for decades (possibly a century) and are collector items among straight razor afficionados. They are also reportedly very much in demand among competitive axe racers. They reportedly sell on e-bay for high hundreds of dollars, but they also show up at garage sales and the like as junk, available for a few dollars.
I find this hone extremely useful for honing chisels and plane irons. Obviously, the original concept was to restore an edge with the red side and then polish it with the black side. I think that the jump from 320 (or whatever it is) to >8000 is too steep. For gradual honing through successively finer grits, the black side would be used after a fine diamond or ceramic stone and followed by green stropping compound. That should put a “65 gram” edge on the tool.
Straight razor enthusiasts have mixed opinions about how good this is as a razor hone. Some think it is wonderful and others are unimpressed. Everyone seems to agree that, as a useful hone, they are not worth the prices sometimes paid.
Doug
370568