Thread: Frustrated with a capital I

(;-) I have a Tin Punishment Box that I use. I have a handful of eBay razors that just won't sharpen. After exhausting my patience, the razor goes into the box with the other recalcitrants! Every once in awhile I take one out to see if its learned its lesson and try sharpening it. ... Some do!

Sure is a lot going on here for a razor that was shaving fine to somewhat dull. I had 2 thoughts after reading all this. I think you took your keen edge off with the strop. More pressure on one side than the other while stropping was my first thought. Also if your leather is cupping or twisted slightly then that would cause your problem also. Laying it flat while stropping and pretend you are honing might help you develop a good habit and then go back to hanging.
Now you are at a point were you don't know what the condition is and/or what to do. You could go all the way back to bevel set and make it shave there and work you way back to keen. The call is yours of course but I don't think it is that bad unless you really got impatient and aggressive with the hones. In my short experience I have learned that razors sometime deify the laws of physics and common explanation. This is why it is often said " this is not rocket science" :<0). It's the things you can't measure that will drive you nuts. I would go back 2 grit levels from your finish hone and lightly do some laps and see if it improves. IF your 12k doesn't do it on it's own. You are not going to bend, remove,damage your razor with a strop unless you are using a power strop of some sort. Especially in the short time you have been at it. Think simple and keep it simple and you will solve this.