What's your edge refreshing routine?
After using a freshly honed razor approx. 10 times I feel the edge no longer gives me smooth, comfortable shaves. Time to refresh the edge.
My routine used to be: 10-20 laps on the Escher or vintage Thuringian followed by 50 laps on the Nakayama. After the Nakayama I give a razor for extra smoothness 30 laps on chrom. oxide pasted strop. Many members disagree with chrom. oxide after a Nakayama, that has been covered elsewhere.
The other day I decided to skip the Escher. I didn't like the resulting edge. So my hypothesis is that the Nakayama alone is too fine to get the edge back to the condition it was in the last time I honed it.
So do you have the experience that a too fine finishing hone alone is not enough to get the edge where you want it?
Interestinger and interestinger
I find myself with the seeming chronic infection of fiddling with things and did a final finish hone on one razor that has been somewhat problematic for my being able to find it a satisfying edge. Not having any of the new rave Japanese marvel stones, I tried my hand with a black hard Arkansas hone - novaculite, razor stone, you know. It worked and resulted in a nice smooth shave this morning. There are a few others in the touch up mug and I'll give them a few licks on the ol' black hard and see if my success was imaginary, fleeting, or real.
This calls for a bit of a celebratory wassail, hmmm?
:beer2: