For starters, if I am in the wrong section please forgive me.
I have read everything here about honing.
This was my first actual honing attempt.
Day 1: Took razor (Genco) and breadknifed then did the unicot method. Strop, test, FAIL.
Day 2: Do some touch ups on the coticule w/ water only. Go to pasted strops diamond spray then CrOx, linen, leather, shave....better but still FAIL. Later do 4/8K honing pyramid with Nortons. Test. Fail.
Day 3: Start with dilucot method. Do this, testing along way it is performing much better than previous two days. Take it to linen and leather. Shaves but lots of pulling, very uncomfortable.
Day 4: Water only about 100 strokes. Test shave, still not there. Do about 40 on CrOx and huge improvement on tests (TPT, HHT) but shave test is horrible. Pulling and such.
Day 5: Dilucot. Test shave. Better than all above but not smooth. 40 laps on CrOx, 60 linen 100 leather. Best it's been but still not where it should be.
While the edge appears smooth the edge just doesn't seem sharp enough. If that makes sense?! I feel like I am so, so close but after 5 days of honing the same blade it appears I am yet so far.
Each time, except where unicot told me not to, I have used tape. Yes, stone has been lapped and all that. First 2 days I was checking with microscope. The edge was looking great but shaving poorly.
Tonight's test shave was by far the best yet. If I'd of never experienced Bart's edges I would accept this edge. On a scale of 10 I would grade mine a 6-7 as far as the comfort and shaveability level.
Now, I know I am probably asking the moon. I mean Bart has honed (as well as most of you) many hundreds of razors. Me, this is my first one. So, for me to expect to get those results is kind of far fetched. But...I am here to learn.
I appreciate all your advice.
I have read everything here about honing.
This was my first actual honing attempt.
Day 1: Took razor (Genco) and breadknifed then did the unicot method. Strop, test, FAIL.
Day 2: Do some touch ups on the coticule w/ water only. Go to pasted strops diamond spray then CrOx, linen, leather, shave....better but still FAIL. Later do 4/8K honing pyramid with Nortons. Test. Fail.
Day 3: Start with dilucot method. Do this, testing along way it is performing much better than previous two days. Take it to linen and leather. Shaves but lots of pulling, very uncomfortable.
Day 4: Water only about 100 strokes. Test shave, still not there. Do about 40 on CrOx and huge improvement on tests (TPT, HHT) but shave test is horrible. Pulling and such.
Day 5: Dilucot. Test shave. Better than all above but not smooth. 40 laps on CrOx, 60 linen 100 leather. Best it's been but still not where it should be.
While the edge appears smooth the edge just doesn't seem sharp enough. If that makes sense?! I feel like I am so, so close but after 5 days of honing the same blade it appears I am yet so far.
Each time, except where unicot told me not to, I have used tape. Yes, stone has been lapped and all that. First 2 days I was checking with microscope. The edge was looking great but shaving poorly.
Tonight's test shave was by far the best yet. If I'd of never experienced Bart's edges I would accept this edge. On a scale of 10 I would grade mine a 6-7 as far as the comfort and shaveability level.
Now, I know I am probably asking the moon. I mean Bart has honed (as well as most of you) many hundreds of razors. Me, this is my first one. So, for me to expect to get those results is kind of far fetched. But...I am here to learn.
I appreciate all your advice.