Thread: WhenWhen Would I Need to Go Below 12K? Below 8K?

I've been unofficially testing your very question for the last six months or so.

I honed a razor then which I "dialed in" to exactly the way I wanted it (what the final honing phase test shave proved to be a perfect balance of sharp and comfortable). It's been my daily shaver except for probably 10 shaves in which I've used other razors in my rotation. You could say five months of daily shaves (Saturdays off).

I've used nothing other than touch ups on chrome ox and pre and post shave stropping. The max number of passes it's needed on chrome ox on balsa to bring it back to the way it was? It's needed a more than a few, but no more than 100 passes. And usually 25 passes about once per week. This is the same balsa strop I have not "repasted" for almost two years now so maybe it's slower than normal.

I'm beginning to think that I could use the above method "indefinitely" and not need to actually bring this razor back to a stone or hone.

One of of those hundred passes on the chrome ox balsa paddle I felt was necessary because I wondered if the edge was getting "overhoned" after only getting attention on the chrome ox. I drew the edge with the weight of the blade only over the side corner (not the end grain) of the same balsa paddle several times and then did the 100 passes on the balsa. Beautiful shaves afterward. I bring this up, because even if the above method made for an edge that would eventually turn to a too thin broken burr, a few weight of the blade passes on the balsa followed by passes (spine leading of course) on the chrome ox balsa I believe would correct any issue.

That's my 2 cents answer for your question.

Chris L