A few days ago I honed a Frederick Reynolds circa mid 1800s made of unbelievably hard steel. I began the usual way with the DMT325 and the Norton stones. It was taking too long IMO so I switched to the Coticule with slurry and then plain water, then Naniwa 12k, .5 dia paste, then stropped. I got a decent shave but not what I am used to so I tried to start over with the DMT 325. After 30 light laps, I could pop armhairs from my well-worn 325. Then I went directly to a slurry on the BBW to plain water on the yellow coticule, Naniwa 12k and stropped. MUCH better shave.

I can't believe how I could pop armhairs off the 325. That never happened before. Hair popping usually happens for me along about the 4k. Maybe my 325 is worn down to 1k and I need a new one but it still takes the pencil lines off my coticules.