Disappointment with Hart steel
Hello everyone,
I've got a Hart Steel 6/8 straight razor that has been nothing less than a disappointment. It shave well when I received it and then no matter what I've done as far as sharpening or maintaining sharpness, I can't get it to shave any at all. I've tried everything I know how. Add electricians tape, scotch tape, no tape. Progressive Norton stones 1000 to 8000 grit then Naniwa 12000 grit. I've tried Belgium Blue Whetstone, and Coticule stone, and combinations of all. I've tried resetting bevels and work to finishing with chromium oxide. Then I look at it with my 400x usb microscope and see straight edge and clean bevel and think I've got it. I take it across the hairs on my arm and all it does is aggravate the skin some and pluck a couple of hairs from the arm. Tried shaving with it to see if it would work. Of course not! Not even along the ears where the face is flat.
I've got 14 other straight razors of various makes with no problem maintaining sharpness or adding some sharpness with the stones that I have and methods that I use. Is there something special about honing this razor that I'm not seeing? Any assistance and suggestions would be greatly appreciative. At this point I'm liable to heat the blade, take a hammer and shape into the most expensive butter knife. I'm not sure it would do that right. Otherwise everyone, have a Happy Thanksgiving weekend next week and take care.