Dups, you might want to re-read Bart's excellent tutorial on setting the bevel with the coticule here. After you set the bevel using the coticule with slurry you can begin to get the edge sharper with the blue with slurry and then the yellow with water only. If the TNT ain't working the bevel isn't set AFAIC. :shrug: as far as how many passes, you have to use the TPT and maybe hair popping and use whatever amount it takes. It is a progression of honing with the tests to see how you are progressing.