Why do I get better edges with tape?
Pretty new to honing, about 8 months under my belt with mostly mixed results. I cannot understand why I only get really nice edges when I use tape. I am guessing the problem is the bevel but I don't know for sure.
Recently I set the bevels w/o tape on a bunch of fleabay specials (all of which I have had shave well with when hone using tape): a flat 1k chosera, circles, x strokes etc. until easily shaving arm hair and shaving the skin off a tomato with little effort all along the blade. Never understood the thumbpad test; all pass thumbnail test to the best of my understanding. Then I moved to flat 3k and 8k naniwa superstones. By the time I am at 8k only a few x strokes before very sticky feedback, so moved to running water for about 10 strokes.
I figured I was in good shape but by the time I got done with finishing (coticule, jnat, thurigian) only one would pass hht 3. Now I know hht is not a great measure but for me the correlation between a great shave and a nice hht is 100%. Then, frequently I can then add a layer of tape to one that wont shave and refinish on a coticule and I get a good edge, sometimes a great edge.
What is that tape doing that I am not? Has to be the bevel but what is the answer?? more time on the 1k is what I am guessing.
anyways, huge fan of the forum and welcome to any suggestions
cheers