I think I'm making progress....

I took a brand new Gold Dollar 208 through the following:
--honed on 8000 Naniwa Superstone (about 50 cycles, starting off with light circles)
--stropped on mounted felt loaded with 2.0 micron CBN slurry (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on mounted felt loaded with 1.0 micron CBN slurry (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on nanocloth loaded with 0.25 micron CBN (Dr. Matt's hanging nanocloth) (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on leather (about 50 cycles)

Visually, the resultant razor edges looked like mirrors, and felt very sharp by gingerly touching the edge with finger or thumb.

The resultant razor easily passed the Hanging Hair Test, and I even shaved my arm hairs with no problem (they even made a "popping sound"). I'm tempted to lather-up an arm and see what the razor does under close to face shaving conditions.

What I noticed is that when the edge is getting really sharp, the stropping makes a curious "singing" sound. Is this what you guys also hear when stropping a really sharp razor?

I also began to use a very light touch when honing on stone or stropping. Just the weight of the razor as was suggested to me by several forum members. This was a really big error on my part before and caused me to ruin several inexpensive razors (especially using firm pressure on the stone hones).

I'm going to try to get some digital microscope photos, if I could figure out how to use the calibration function. I can take photos that look nice, but they are really not of much value for comparison if I can't describe the magnification or give a measurement of the angled edge.

I'm going to repeat the same procedure, except use the nanocloth mounted on glass plates that I recently received, to substitute for the felt mounted strops.

My thanks to board members for advice and comments.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DoctorSaul

I took a brand new Gold Dollar 208 through the following:
--honed on 8000 Naniwa Superstone (about 50 cycles, starting off with light circles)
--stropped on mounted felt loaded with 2.0 micron CBN slurry (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on mounted felt loaded with 1.0 micron CBN slurry (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on nanocloth loaded with 0.25 micron CBN (Dr. Matt's hanging nanocloth) (40 cycles or so)
--stropped on leather (about 50 cycles)
As you may have read, the 8k stone is where you shave test to asess your edges. You can do the same at any subsequent follow up grits to determine what is improving, degrading or doing nothing to your edges

Visually, the resultant razor edges looked like mirrors, and felt very sharp by gingerly touching the edge with finger or thumb.
Visually, mirror edges means nothing to function. The thumb pad test is a very good test to assess if you have set your bevel at the lower grits.

The resultant razor easily passed the Hanging Hair Test, and I even shaved my arm hairs with no problem (they even made a "popping sound"). I'm tempted to lather-up an arm and see what the razor does under close to face shaving conditions.
You must have coarse arm hair. For those with fine arm hair the razor is really sharp & is possibly smooth if the hair falls over silently with no tugging at skin level. This type of edge will not always 'treetop' hair but may fold it over before slicing.

What I noticed is that when the edge is getting really sharp, the stropping makes a curious "singing" sound. Is this what you guys also hear when stropping a really sharp razor?
No that usually denotes you are lifting the spine. Slow right down with focus on what you are doing & see if the ringing goes away.

I also began to use a very light touch when honing on stone or stropping. Just the weight of the razor as was suggested to me by several forum members. This was a really big error on my part before and caused me to ruin several inexpensive razors (especially using firm pressure on the stone hones).
Yes that is a common mistake even with stropping.
I'm going to try to get some digital microscope photos, if I could figure out how to use the calibration function. I can take photos that look nice, but they are really not of much value for comparison if I can't describe the magnification or give a measurement of the angled edge.

I'm going to repeat the same procedure, except use the nanocloth mounted on glass plates that I recently received, to substitute for the felt mounted strops.

My thanks to board members for advice and comments.

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Generally when I get a 'new' razor (never bought a brand new razor; always vintage, though one was NOS) I do pyramids on a Norton 4/8 to re-set the bevel and then a Shapton 16k. I've never used paste or whatever. I shave leg hair as a test (I have very little arm hair) and then, of course, I shave with it to test it.

onimaru55 was one of THE most helpful guys here along with Maxi when i started honing, so make sure you listen to him! :rock:

DoctorSaul;

I know you said you have a full beard, but I think you at least have to shave your neck. One of the best things about straights is how well they work for trimming around beards. I have a Van Dyke and when I started straight shaving my wife noticed that after every shave my beard was a little smaller. I was have so much fun trimming the edges. Try it, you'll like it.