Going from "factory" edge to shave-ready
I was reading over Glen's excellent commentary on honing here. It sparked some questions in my mind, as I often find myself in a category not listed: The person who often buys new production razors (Dovo / Wacker / Aust / etc.) and wants to take them from the factory spinning-wheel edge to something that is up to my standards for daily use.
I'm not a novice straight razor user. I've been straight shaving for years and effectively maintaining my edges with a collection of barber hones and a Chinese 12k stone. I know a good edge when I shave with one and know when an edge isn't quite there, though I'm not completely confident in what is missing from the edges that aren't up to par...
Up to this point, when I purchase a new-production razor, I typically send it out to a member to bring it to shave-ready and then fall into my maintenance routine.
If I were to move to doing this myself, what would the community suggest I use? The general consensus I've found on the forum is that the edges on the factory Dovo's, Wacker's, etc. tend to be sharp, but not finished. Would this indicate that the bevel quality is there and I could start at, say, 5k and go up from there? Or do I need to go all the way back to the beginning with a 1k or lower?
As always, I appreciate the community's input.