The Ultimate Straight Razor Honing Kit: A Complete List for Enthusiasts

If you're serious about straight razor shaving, then maintaining your razor’s sharpness is the secret ingredient to maintaining both the safety and quality of your shave. Honing a straight razor keeps the edge sharp and makes sure it maintains its longevity.

But to get the best results, you need the right tools. In this guide, we’ll provide a complete straight razor honing kit list, covering everything you need to keep your razor in top condition.

Understanding the Importance of a Proper Honing Kit

Without regular honing, your blade will become dull, which can then lead to irritation, nicks, and an overall uncomfortable shave.

Having a complete honing kit is important as it helps to keep your straight razors sharpness in tact. In turn, you get a smooth, close shave.

Using the proper tools also impacts both the sharpness and longevity of the razor. Honing with the right stones and strops removes metal from the blade evenly so your razor stays sharper for longer.  

Additionally, the kit helps reduce the need for professional sharpening and lowers the need for blade replacement. This will help you save money over the long run.

Essential Honing Stones

Honing stones, also called whetstones, are the foundation of any honing kit. The grit level of the stone determines the amount of metal that's removed from the blade during the honing process.

Different stones serve different purposes, from sharpening a dull blade to polishing the edge for a fine shave. Here are the essential honing stones for your straight razor honing kit:

Coarse Grit (1000-3000 grit):

Coarse stones are used when your razor is dull or has small chips in the blade. They help remove metal quickly and set the edge for further refinement. Beginners should start with a coarse grit to reshape the blade when necessary.

Recommended stones: Naniwa 1000, King 1200, Shapton Pro 1500

Medium Grit (4000-6000 grit):

Once the edge is set, medium grit stones are used to refine it. These stones smooth out the rough edges left by coarse stones, preparing the razor for fine honing.

Recommended stones: Norton 4000/8000 combination stone, Shapton 5000, Naniwa 5000

Fine Grit (8000+ grit):

Fine grit stones are used to polish the razor’s edge to a mirror-like finish, ensuring a smooth and sharp shave. Advanced users often use stones with grits higher than 8000 for ultimate sharpness.

Recommended stones: Naniwa 12000, Shapton Glass 16000, Suehiro Gokumyo 20000

For beginners, a 4000/8000 grit combination stone is a safe bet as it provides both medium and fine grits in one tool. More advanced users may want to add finer stones to achieve a sharper, polished edge.

Strops and Stropping Compounds

Once you’ve honed the razor, the next step is to strop it. Stropping helps refine the edge further and maintains the sharpness between honing sessions. A good strop is an important addition to any straight razor honing kit.

Types of Strops

Leather Strops: Leather is the most common material for strops and is perfect for refining the razor’s edge. Leather strops come in different types, such as cowhide, horsehide, and latigo, each with its unique properties.

Recommended leather strops: Latigo leather strop, English bridle leather strop, horsehide strop

Canvas or Linen Strops: These strops are typically used before leather stropping to clean and warm up the blade. They help remove any fine metal particles left from honing and prepare the edge for the leather strop.

Stropping Compounds: Stropping compounds (or pastes) can can be applied to strops to provide more sharpening power. These compounds contain abrasive materials that help maintain the razor’s edge so you don't have to hone it all the time.

Green compound: A fine abrasive that helps polish the razor’s edge after honing.

Red or black compound: Coarser compounds used for stropping a slightly dull blade.

Lubricants and Cleaning Supplies

Lubrication is an often-overlooked but essential part of the honing process. It helps reduce the amount of friction between the blade and the stone, preventing the blade from getting damaged and the stone from clogging with metal particles.

Recommended Lubricants

Water: Many honing stones, especially water stones, are designed to be used with water. Always wet the stone before honing for smooth sharpening.

Honing Oil: Oil stones require a lubricant like honing oil to prevent metal particles from clogging the stone’s surface. The oil also provides a smoother honing process.

Proper maintenance of your honing stones and strops is also important. Regular cleaning keeps your tools in good condition so they will continue to perform well.

Cleaning Supplies

Stone Flattening Tools: Over time, honing stones can develop uneven surfaces, which can negatively affect sharpening. A flattening stone or plate helps keep your honing stones level.

Leather Conditioner: Leather strops need to be conditioned regularly so they don't go dry or crack. Using a leather conditioner will keep your strop supple and extend its lifespan.

Microfiber Cloths: Wipe down your razor and tools after each use to remove any metal particles or moisture.

Magnification and Testing Tools

As part of your complete straight razor honing kit list, you'll want some magnification and testing tools.

Inspecting the edge of your razor during and after honing will let you know if you sharpened your blade correctly and allow you to see the finer details of the blade that may not be visible to your naked eye.

Magnification Tools

Loups: Loups are small, hand-held magnifying glasses that provide around 10x magnification. They are compact and easy to use, making them a popular choice for straight razor enthusiasts.

Microscopes: Microscopes offer much higher magnification if you want a closer look.

Testing the sharpness of the razor is the final step before using it.

Sharpness Tests

Hanging Hair Test (HHT): This involves holding a hair and gently passing it over the razor’s edge. A sharp razor will cleanly slice through the hair.

Thumbnail Test: Gently run the edge of the razor across your thumbnail. If the blade is sharp, it will feel like it’s biting into the nail without slipping.

These tools help you assess the effectiveness of your honing and ensure your razor is ready for use.

Accessories and Storage Solutions

Honing strops and stones will make up the bulk of your kit. However, you can also add some additional accessories to make the process easier and more organized.

Essential Accessories

Honing Holders: These help keep your honing stone steady while you work, making the process more comfortable and precise.

Angle Guides: Angle guides help you keep the razor at the correct angle during honing.

Proper storage is also important for keeping your kit in good condition.

Storage Solutions

Protective Cases: Keep your honing stones and strops safe from dust, moisture, and damage when not in use.

Razor Stands: A razor stand helps keep your razor dry and safely stored between uses so there's less risk of damage or dust.

Organizing your tools ensures they last longer and stay in good working condition.

Building Your Perfect Honing Kit

When assembling your complete straight razor honing kit, prioritize the essentials first and add additional tools and accessories as you need. Here’s a summary of what you’ll need:

Honing Stones:

• Coarse grit (1000-3000)
• Medium grit (4000-6000)
• Fine grit (8000+)

Strops:

• Leather strop
• Canvas or linen strop

Stropping Compounds:

• Green compound for polishing
• Red or black compound for dull blades

Lubricants:

• Water for water stones
• Honing oil for oil stones

Cleaning Supplies:

• Stone flattening tools
• Leather conditioner
• Microfiber cloths

Magnification and Testing Tools:

• Loups or microscopes
• Hanging hair test or thumbnail test

Accessories:

• Honing holders
• Angle guides

Storage Solutions:

• Protective cases
• Razor stands

Tips for Beginners

Start with a 4000/8000 grit stone, a basic leather strop, and a green stropping compound. This provides a good balance between effectiveness and ease of use. As you gain experience, you can expand your kit with finer stones and more advanced accessories.

Invest in Quality

While it may be tempting to buy some cheaper tools, investing in high-quality honing stones, strops, and accessories will pay off in the long run. Quality tools produce better results and last longer, saving you time and money.

At New England Shaving, we have everything you need to build your own straight razor honing kit, including leather strops, honing oil, and more. By following this complete straight razor honing kit list, you can ensure that your razor remains sharp, safe, and ready for use.