Thread: Getting to 11 with a hone

The Spinal Tap reference in the title of this thread best represents what I'm hoping to accomplish, with your helpful advice, when it comes to my honing skills.

In the past when I've sent razors off to be sharpened, they unfailingly come back as Elevens. Whereas when I do the best that I can do at home, I can get close, but my rank amateur status at honing becomes crystal clear.

I do have a very clear definition of what I mean by Eleven. When I hone at home, I'll finish on a Norton 8K, and then possibly a TI-pasted paddle strop, and then some plain vanilla workhorse stropping on Russian leather. At this stage I can pretty reliably get an edge that will do a BBS pass on the underside of my forearm, and which shaves my face nicely XTG and ATG -- a decent shave with no irritation.

But for me, an Eleven is tested by shaving my upper lip WTG only and eradicating all stubble -- can't feel a trace of texture with my lower lip. The razors honed by pros can nuke my upper lip without fail. My best efforts never quite make the grade.

Last thing I'll mention is that I do always use one layer of electrical tape on the Norton 8K -- mostly because the vast majority of my razors are obscenely virginal (oxymoron intentional). As an example, here's a photo of one W&B in my rotation that I've yet to tame into scarysharpness. This one has such a thick spine compared to its wafer thin blade -- it's practically a frameback in proportions.

I'm posting this in Advance Honing - because that's precisely the type of advice I need... how to crank this baby up to eleven (other than sending it out to the pros, wise guy).

Thanks,
M.