Thread: honing info for a newbie...

okay. so what happens if i get to the bottom of the honing period and the razor still just isn't cutting as close as i'd like it to? i got a shave ready razor from glen and it cuts much better. i'm reasonably sure i'm using the correct technique, though i'm a little unclear about how much pressure i should be applying to the razor during the honing process. currently, i'm only using enough to keep the razor flat on the stone. should i be using more?

since i just read through ten pages of that x pattern thread i'll just tell you now that i'm not using the x pattern. i push and pull straight across with the heel leading.

so i guess what i'm saying is, do i repeat the pyramid, or just continue with the 1/5's until it's ready? or is there another option?

...and another very specific question: on a 1/5, it's my understanding that the one pass on the 4k side is added to prevent over-honing by removing any wire edge that may have formed. does removing that wire edge also have a negative effect on the sharpening (ie is it like taking one step back, then five steps forward?)? hope my question is clear...