Hey chaps. 1. i have a king 1k/6k and 4k,8k,10k naniwas. I should be OK. I recently bought a Dovo Bismarck, and as a new razor it 'should not' have needed any more than the 8k. I understand the method/reason about honing. But I end up doing this. I open the box, and it's not shave ready. Fine, I start with some light circles and strokes on the 8k, then for some reason it seems dull. So, out comes the 1K, and I re-set the bevel....so I think. It cuts arm hair and passes the TNT, so off to the 4K, 20 circles e/w, 20 light circles as per the rules, I check it and bugger me if it's dull. No point going to the 6k et al. So I hone it for another 10 minutes on the 4k. It seems OK, so I go to the king 6k (a smooth stone) It seems acceptable but not quite right. Ny now I'm getting the shits with the whole thing. But I decide to give the 8k a very light pressure for 8 strokes. Remember guys I've got a sore back from sitting down at the hones table. It's amazing there is any of the razor left...(Exageration)
My trouble is that once the razor feels 'pen knife sharp' and can nip a few hairs off, and I go the 4k and so on to the 10K and the .5 crox. If I come back to it a few hours later and after a TPT it's a good feel. Then I strop it and shave, not bad at all, but it is no more than 3 to 4 shaves before it seems to pull and feel average. It must be my technique. Should I rub it spine first into the 1k to get rid of what is probably an over honed blade. How much effort, (time) should I be spending to get one new razor 'Shave ready'. I reckon I'm a chronic over -honer. I reckon my 6/8 is one session away from being a 5/8. I'd just like a tip on how much time I should need to get a new razor to shave ready. I've had a razor pro honed so I know what 'sharp' is. It's identical brother 'Dovo Prima Klang', and I managed to get OK myself, but this bismarck 6/8 is a worry. I put it in the box with some light oil, wait 3 days till I strop it, and at the first shave it is OK, it just doesn't hold the edge. What am I doing wrong? I admit I have RAD, HAD and OCD and a few others. I don't worry about numbers of strokes etc, I just want to know that after say 15 minutes I need to stop and re-assess my positon. The more you hone, the less you get success, and the less success you get the more you hone, Help.