I have a question I have been wondering about a long time, and have never asked any honemeisters.

I just finally got a great shaving edge on an old Wostenholm IXL quarter-hollow with original horn scales that I got as a pretty cheap buy off eBay. But it took 4 lengthy honing sessions and 3 do-overs to get there, so I earned that shave this morning. I did not use tape when honing this one, and it had a few geometry issues to overcome. I had a hard time setting a bevel in the first place, and lost the good bevel I started with during my progression, as this has a smiling blade and my stroke consistency sometimes "wanders" when doing smiling blades. I've favored very hollow grind paper-thin razors for years, but am now really liking the thicker older Sheffield steel. There is a learning curve.

Anyhow, my question is this: each time I failed getting/keeping a good edge on this razor through the progression, the "tell" was a skipping or catching sensation of the blade on the stone during the later (finishing) stages in the progression. When I get it right, I get a nice smooth drag or draw across the stroke. What does that skipping or catching feel in the stroke indicate about the state of the edge? I get it with any natural finisher - Coticules, Thuris, JNats, or even on my Shapton 16K synthetic. It seems most pronounced on Thuris for some reason, as soon as the slurry thins out, if the edge is not right, it really starts skipping and catching. I don't see anything obvious under magnification, but I have been known to miss many things under magnification.

I'm sure many other people have felt this same catching sensation when honing. I know it's a bad thing and means I have to back way down in my progression, but what is it, exactly? Curious.