Just thought I'd write about the fourth honing I did, and comment in some observations I had, as a novice...

Razor was a Dovo Best Quality from SRD that had been pro honed upon purchase and once with a free honing. It was getting dull, after 40-50 shaves, and I wanted to sharpen it up myself, having successfully done two other honing so recently, beyond my first honing, which was a very minor touch up.

I wasn't sure how low to go on grit, so I decided to do 8k, and then 16k, followed by a test shave. also, I want to try the films that Euclid440 gave me (THANKS!), and didn't have a chance to use on the last honing.

I used one layer of tape - didn't want to risk wearing the spine, and I started doing heel leading X strokes. I'd do 10-20 strokes and check with my microscope, to see how things are going. Initial observations...

- The stria seems to be very even with the film, and it seemed to go pretty quickly, compared with # strokes I needed on stones.

- Film was a bit finicky, sliding around for a while. Eventually it stuck and was easier to do. I also tried the film on my 12k Naniwa, I steal of glass tile, which has a little rounded edge. Stone worked, but film is bigger than hone, and hung over the ends and other side. No big issue.

- The Dovo edge is so narrow, that it is harder to check the edge - had to use higher magnification.

- I noticed that it didn't seem to hone right up to the heel and toe, so I eventually modified my stroke to apply a finger tip of pressure to the heel and toe, on the strokes.

- I also had a little trouble looking at the edge (straight down), under magnification, and it seemed like maybe the bevels weren't completely meeting, but I wasn't sure.

- Subjectively, it seems like I had more feedback from the stones, when honing and having area that didn't seem to be moving as smoothly across the surface. It may be my inexperience, or maybe I'm starting a bit to get a feel for the stones. Didn't notice that with the films.

I marched on through the two films, and did a test shave (no stropping) The irritation was moderate (not what I expected), and it seemed to pull a bit more than I expected on longer hairs, or ATG.

So, I decided to go down to lower grits. I had a 4K film, but I decided to go to my Norton 1k, and work on the bevel. I'm glad I did, because this time. I was positive that the bevel was meeting. It looked like my other razor, when looking down on the edge.

From there, I went to the 4K, 8k, and 16k films, doing heel leading X strokes, with pressure, based on what I was seeing on the microscope. I used the trick I figured out last honing, of doing a few perpendicular strokes and checking with the microscope to see if there was older, deeper stria at 45 degree angle, to tell if I'm honing to the edge completely.

Overall, I spent only an hour honing (big surprise). I did a test shave today, and it was fabulous. No irritation, close, and only a little difficulty ATG on my chin, which is always hard. Very pleased.

My next step is to try the 0.3 (white) film, with paper under, and see how that feels.

It has been fun trying the film, and I'm so glad to have another good honing (especially after honing #3 with microchipping, and bad steel - a long process).

Not sure if I'll use the film that often, as I have a set of stones, but who knows, maybe I'll like them for finishing, as my finest stone is 12k SS.