Originally Posted by
mparker762
For example, these photos do *not* show that the belgian stone removes more metal. It may be that the belgian does remove more metal, but these photos do not show that; evidence of this claim must come from somewhere else. For all you can tell from these photos, that translucent arkansas stone could have removed 50 microns of steel from the edge of that razor, and the belgian may have only removed 5 microns in those 10 laps; you have no way of telling from the photos. And this one misconception invalidates all the other conclusions and hypotheses in your post that you wish to hang on it.
Having used several of these stones and stared at the razors under the microscope, I be willing to bet that the hone that removed the most metal in those 10 laps was either the 15k Shapton or the ultrafine spyderco - notice that the 15k shapton edge shows evidence of *severe* overhoning - there's a wire edge on that blade, and in only 10 laps at that.