Thread: Can't keep an edge

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.