Thread: Figuring out some stones and pasted strops

I know what you mean too JJ. It's just an observation more than anything. Hell, sometimes I just wax philosophical. To me honing is cathartic. It's like hoeing in the garden or any other repetitive task where you can just let your mind wander while you're doing it.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I must plead ignorance here because I am way out of my depth in terms of what you gentlemen are discussing but I do have some observations. It occurs to me that like becoming an aficionado in any pursuit edge refinement can quickly turn into chasing the dragon. To quote King Solomon from Ecclesiastes (not from a religious aspect but from a philosophical standpoint) "...for with much wisdom comes much sorrow. The more knowledge the more greif." And "...the more the words the less the meaning and how does that profit anyone?" Not to imply that this is a meaningless pursuit but to say that the more we expect the more it can sometimes escape us. I do not claim to be an expert or connoiseur (I did at one time. Now I realize how much I don't know) but i am very interested in tea and know as much as I have learned about it... probably. Early in my pursuit of it I found probably the first fine tea I had ever encountered. They had testers which were heavenly to the nose. High elevation grown single estate Himalayan teas from Sikkim, Darjeeling and Antu and Sri Antu in Nepal. If I recall they were between $60-$70 US/lb to which my reply was "that's nice but there is no way I am paying that much for tea." Eventually they went on sale (I must not have been alone in my assessment) so I bought several tins at less than half the original price. By the time I was running out I would have gladly paid triple...quadruple probably the retail price if I could find them again. That was kind of a long explanation to say that my point is now I can't turn back. My tastes have irrevocably changed. Now I would think nothing of spending $500/lb for the right tea. Himalayan teas grown over 6000 feet or Fine Formosa oolong for instance. We do it to ourselves when we set about seeking the minutiae.
Perhaps my ignorance is bliss but I seldom hone past the 4k/8k pyramid progression. Sometimes I find going to the 12k not only does not improve the shave but perhaps hinders it. I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads now and saying "poor ignorant fool." But I am happy with my results. Perhaps more so than some of you. I am not scoffing or belittling your pursuit. Simply saying that from someone who is and has been in a similar situation in another venue my compliments and corresponding condolences go out to you because as previously quoted "...the more wisdom the more grief." I can relate to your joy and your pain. Good fortune to you all and I hope you find more joy than frustration in your pursuit

Edit: also I would trade minor organs for the right Hao ya A Keemun

I think chasing the dragon is a very apt way to put it. I think it was Gssixgun that said something along the lines of %98 if honing is complete by the time you finish on an 8K hone. The finishing stone is just the last %1-%2. Directly to my right is a shelf with $1000 worth of Japanese, Chinese, and Welsh natural stones, several Arkansas stones, a coticule, and a handfull of other natural stones. The next shelf up has a small assortment of pastes and a bag of iron oxide powder that's something like .01 micron. To my left I have a stack of barber hones that I paid something between 25 and 40 a piece for. Each does have their own feel, and I quite enjoy them all.

But when you break it down to brass tacks, for the past year and a half or so I've shaved with nothing but a Dovo straight razor honed/maintained on a $20 Swaty barber hone and stropped on plain linen and leather. It wasn't until very recently I broke out the Welsh slates to touch up a hand full of razors, but I've only used one of them once, and diverted back to the swaty and dovo. It's interesting how you can change what dragon you chase, first it was sharpest, then smoothest, and I suppose now I'm chasing the dragon of minimalism. You can throw as much or as little money and time at it as you like, and I suppose that's part of the fun in any hobby - spending time enjoying the toys associated with said hobby.