Thread: How sharp is sharp?

Evening all,

I've been honing razors now for about a year. I can get an edge that gives a very good close shave. I have had a razor from an experienced honer and my finished edges match up. I went through a learning curve for the first eight months where I would find that my previous sharpest razor was superceded by the latest razor I had honed. For the last four months that hasn't happened. All my razors have great edges (except for my !@#$%^ Red Imp 132, but that's a different issue). My question is: Can you reach a stage where you can no longer improve an edge and if so, how do you know when you've reached that point? My progression is: Makita 1000# bevel setter, followed by Naniwa superstones 3000#, 8000# and 12000#. I then do 30 laps on 0.3 CrOx, 30 laps on 0.1 iron oxide and finish with about 60 laps on leather.