Thread: Can't keep an edge

Thank you Onimaru55,
I have razors with smiles and frowns, and most all of them the spine edge is worn and match the cutting edge. I went through the section you suggested and the sharpening manners. None match my approach which may be my problem. I do have 7 to 8 decent to good razors, it's just some of the new ones I have bought. I have gone back to the Norton water stones to see if it may help as they are a wider stone than my Arkansas.

Originally Posted by Glock27

Thank you Onimaru55,
I have razors with smiles and frowns, and most all of them the spine edge is worn and match the cutting edge. I went through the section you suggested and the sharpening manners. None match my approach which may be my problem. I do have 7 to 8 decent to good razors, it's just some of the new ones I have bought. I have gone back to the Norton water stones to see if it may help as they are a wider stone than my Arkansas.

You can probably force a razor to conform to a singular honing method but that may be like regrinding by hand.
Sometimes best to ride the horse in the direction it's pointing.

The width of a stone wont be as big an influence as how you utilise it.

I think it's been suggested but good pics of the problem razors would help us to help you.

I have to extend to you my appreciation for your replies.. In part my problem can also arrive out of stress since we have moved. As I have mentioned I am 71 and have Osteoarthritis which has impacted my life, then there are arising and unanticipated problems which do not help. Recently I had to dump a huge pile of money into having my basement lined with a drain system to my crock where my sump pump lines, and the problems of this nature seem to keep landing. I have mower problems which keeps sending it back to the shop, a 3 I attempt to use the razors as a distraction8 year old son living at home who is virtually helpless. and eats up my internet time. I refuse to buy more time so he can waste it. This stuff keeps piling up and attempting to correct razors is not helping them I guess.
I have viewed the library. It is 6:30 here and an opportunity to watch a short video, but it still eats my
Fair Useage up"
Thanks again for your kindness and consideration of my delemmas (sp) I have faced.

A big thanks to Euclid and his advice to me in post #33. Yesterday I managed to gain the success I was hoping for. I discovered the pressure needed to cut steel with my King on water alone. Two further points really stand out:
1. I could never tell when the bevels met. I didn't know what success looked like. So I killed the edge on my stone and took it outside and looked at it with naked eye. As I rotated the blade from face to face, at the top I could easily see the glint of bright flat steel on the edge. So that is what I do not want to see. A few minutes of circles on the King, a few more minutes of x-strokes and back into the sun we went. No glint from heel to toe, just darkness. Good.
2. A green marker is much much better than a black one. It is so much easier to see. And to see when/where it is gone after a couple x-strokes.

An extra 40 light x-strokes on the King when I was sure I had finished the bevel, then watched it effortlessly remove arm hair.
Dilucot on the coticule, then 200 on water alone... This morning's shave was very nice and very smooth. I've experienced the magic of some of Glen's edges, where the whiskers just seem to melt off; this morning was not that magical, but still very satisfying.

Thanks again to all who posted advice, and a very special thanks to Euclid for the explanation that finally made me understand.