[Seraphim]

OK, so most vendors offer getting a razor "shave ready" for a ~$20 honing fee.

How about offering a "hone-ready" lapped hone option for those looking to buy a hone? It doesn't require the same artistry that putting a fine edge on a razor requires, so $20 would be a bit too steep (plus, they can buy a Norton flatening hone for $30...), but what about like $5-10, depending on the hone?


Just an idea

[ewanhuzarmie]

I know that Howard at The Perfect Edge offers that as a service on hones purchased through him for $5 USD per honing surface.

[Seraphim]

I'm not looking for it myself, but I think it is a worthwhile service to offer. Thanks for the head's up in regards to the Invisible edge. They're way ahead of me!

[Chris L]

I thought about doing this late last year. Kind of like the chromium Oxide powder packets I sell where after portioning out, cost of paper for instructions, double small zip lock bags, envelopes, postage, Paypal fees I yield like a buck. I thought about purchasing a handful of Nortons, lapping them flat on my GDLP and after all the same type of stuff I mentioned above for "overhead", maybe netting $5 each stone? I never went anywhere with the idea only because I didn't pursue trying to find a supplier that would give a small volume discount, and I wasn't motivated enough with it to buy the stones at retail.

I think it's certainly a service/product that wold be in demand. Given any net profit per stone would end up being quite low to be fair and equitable to the buyer, whoever would provide this service would have to go into it with the idea that they would be netting very low profit and aside from that would really be more than anything providing a very low cost charitable service at their time and expense to SRP members. Not a bad idea.

The other thing that stopped me: What if one of the stones turned out to have manufacturing defects that weren't apparent until after the lapped stone was received by the ultimate buyer? Who sends it back to Norton? Does the buyer send it back to the lapper who then sends it back to Norton since the lapper wouldn't most likely go through the trouble or get the approval to be an authorized Norton retailer?

I used Norton because the Norton stones would be the most likely candidate for providing this service.

Chris L

[Seraphim]

But my idea is that the people who are already set up as supplies/retailers already have the hones in their shop.

If they also happen to have a GDLP laying around the shop, they can perhaps help pay off the cost of that little beauty $5 a pop. And net some customers who may be on the fence about jumping into hones for fear of the need to lap them?

[JimmyHAD]

I cannot understand why anyone would buy a hone without a lapping plate. Whether the hone comes lapped or not it won't be long, assuming the buyer is honing razors, before it will need to be flattened again. Even someone who only hones one or two razors once a year should have the wherewithal to pencil on a grid and make sure his hone is within tolerance.

[Chris L]

Originally Posted by Seraphim

But my idea is that the people who are already set up as supplies/retailers already have the hones in their shop.

If they also happen to have a GDLP laying around the shop, they can perhaps help pay off the cost of that little beauty $5 a pop. And net some customers who may be on the fence about jumping into hones for fear of the need to lap them?

I see what you mean now. Howard sells Nortons and someone had mentioned he will lap them for a fee.

Originally Posted by Slant-Fan

I cannot understand why anyone would buy a hone without a lapping plate. Whether the hone comes lapped or not it won't be long, assuming the buyer is honing razors, before it will need to be flattened again. Even someone who only hones one or two razors once a year should have the wherewithal to pencil on a grid and make sure his hone is within tolerance.

Good point, Jimmy. I agree; especially for soft stones like the Nortons.

Chris L

[ByronTodd]

Originally Posted by Slant-Fan

I cannot understand why anyone would buy a hone without a lapping plate. Whether the hone comes lapped or not it won't be long, assuming the buyer is honing razors, before it will need to be flattened again. Even someone who only hones one or two razors once a year should have the wherewithal to pencil on a grid and make sure his hone is within tolerance.

Ummm... I might be missing some part of the debate, but cost would play a huge factor.... I want a Shapton 16K and its price compared to the Shapton Diamond Lapping Plate is "cheap"!

If, on the other hand, someone thinks that that is not terribly expensive and just wants to shoot me a Shapton 16K and a Shapton GDLP, I would be more than happy to keep them well used...

[Seraphim]

Originally Posted by Slant-Fan

I cannot understand why anyone would buy a hone without a lapping plate. Whether the hone comes lapped or not it won't be long, assuming the buyer is honing razors, before it will need to be flattened again. Even someone who only hones one or two razors once a year should have the wherewithal to pencil on a grid and make sure his hone is within tolerance.

Same argument could be made for someone shopping for a razor--they should also buy a hone while they're at it, as they;ll need it before too long...

Yet the $20 "shave-ready" option is quite popular.


I agree with your sentiment, but am trying to stir up some further discussion.

[Chris L]

Originally Posted by ByronTodd

Ummm... I might be missing some part of the debate, but cost would play a huge factor.... I want a Shapton 16K and its price compared to the Shapton Diamond Lapping Plate is "cheap"!

If, on the other hand, someone thinks that that is not terribly expensive and just wants to shoot me a Shapton 16K and a Shapton GDLP, I would be more than happy to keep them well used...

I think what he meant is that someone who decides to buy a hone should also buy SOME mechanism to lap that hone with. That's how I took it. In my mind, some mechanism could be as simple as wet/dry and a piece of glass.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Same argument could be made for someone shopping for a razor--they should also buy a hone while they're at it, as they;ll need it before too long...

Yet the $20 "shave-ready" option is quite popular.


I agree with your sentiment, but am trying to stir up some further discussion.

Between the two, hones/lappers and razors/hones, I see buying a shave ready razor as a prudent move for a newbie who may still be wondering if straight razor shaving is for them rather than that same person dropping some cha-ching on a hone right out of the gate and then going back to the DE or cartridge.

Chris L

[ByronTodd]

Originally Posted by Chrisl

<snip>

Between the two, hones/lappers and razors/hones, I see buying a shave ready razor as a prudent move for a newbie who may still be wondering if straight razor shaving is for them rather than that same person dropping some cha-ching on a hone right out of the gate and then going back to the DE or cartridge.

Chris L

110% agreement with the above!

[Seraphim]

But perhaps there are those who are commited to straights, yet are fearful of delving into the honing aspect of it due to the seemingly arcane machinations required to lap said hone, when really the guy just wants to try and hone his razor, not get into lapping stones/hones?



Personally, I use diamond lapping film on a sheet of glass to hone my razors, as it require no lapping of hones, and it is smooth as glass...

[Chris L]

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Personally, I use diamond lapping film on a sheet of glass to hone my razors, as it require no lapping of hones, and it is smooth as glass...

Where do you get the diamond lapping film? I have some of the 3M films (silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and chromium oxide) but I haven't tried diamond film. Sounds interesting. What micron size can you get in diamond film? Thanks.

Chris L

[JimmyHAD]

Buying a shave ready razor right off the bat is a good idea. You have the benchmark to shoot for in your own honing and you'll get as smooth a shave as technique permits. Personally I am a hands on guy and while I have no desire to make razors or restore finishes I do like to maintain what I have and restore edges on razors I buy if they need it.

I read everything I could find on honing and got a used Norton set when I started. In my reading I determined that the DMTC was my best bet and I bought one. Sandpaper on glass or tile is good but we all make choices based on our priorities and opinions. Mine is that once a person knows that they are going to stick with straight razor shaving a hone and an efficient method of flattening it yourself is a good idea.

Personally I am as into the honing as I am into the shaving if not more. To me it is both a challenge and a form of meditation. If I ever do it enough to master it perhaps I will lose interest as I have in other pursuits but for the time being this is my thing. I can only shave once a day but I can hone all day.

[Tony Miller]

I used to offer lapping with the coticules I sold and the Hunsrueck and Thuringen hones. I think it added $10-15 tpo the cost and I remember many an evening standing over an abrasive paper covered granite surface place in the sink with cramping fingers.

Tony

[Seraphim]

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

I used to offer lapping with the coticules I sold and the Hunsrueck and Thuringen hones. I think it added $10-15 tpo the cost and I remember many an evening standing over an abrasive paper covered granite surface place in the sink with cramping fingers.

Tony

Well, I guess that about wraps up the discussion of why they don't offer the pre-lapped service!

[Seraphim]

Originally Posted by Chrisl

Where do you get the diamond lapping film? I have some of the 3M films (silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and chromium oxide) but I haven't tried diamond film. Sounds interesting. What micron size can you get in diamond film? Thanks.

Chris L

Diamond lapping films available here.

They work awesome. No need for standing over wet sinks with cramping hands either!