less laps

[gary haywood]

I just reset bevel on my flami 7/8 using 1200 dmt and then only 15 ,4k n and 15, 8kn then added bbw s 15 ,coti w 15 and it shaves perfect i've tryed every thing on this razor and all ways got it shaving no pulling but it would miss bit 's in my neck and under my nose it just would'nt grab the stubble very well at all so i took lynns advice and did less laps and it worked i was doing 50 4k then 208k 75 bbw and 75 to 100 coti back and forth to the belgiums some times more paste made no differance the bevel was reset a couple of times. I think some one actualy said its better to creap up on the sharpness than going past it any one else found less strokes are better i never thought it was possible and did more just to make sure. Now i can feel the edge grip my stubble and then take it of before i could'nt feel the razor grabing hardly. any one no why this would of been i'm not sure.

[Bill S]

+1
I think that Lynn has gone on record that "less is more" when it comes to honing dozens of times in the forum and on his videos.

In my own limited experience I have found that as I am using a series of finishing stones my edge will get where it needs to be fairly quickly. Then, if I try even a couple of laps more in an attempt to get the edge even sharper I frequently end up going backwards. Given this observation, it seems logical to me that if you automatically just pile on the laps, particularly towards the end of the honing process, it is likely that you are just going past the optimal edge and then re-gaining it over and over again. I don't know if this hurts anything, but it does waste time and could be frustrating if you continue to miss the optimum edge, even after dozens (hundreds?) of laps.

This is just my observation. I'm sure the more experienced guys will add more clarity soon.

[JimmyHAD]

It can be confusing to us beginning honers. I noted Lynn's admonition that less is more but in the beginning, feeling my way rather than knowing where I was going it was more hit and miss.

Randydance had stressed frequent TPT to gauge progress and I did that to an extent but I was somewhat pedantic about sticking with recommended number of laps on pyramids forinstance.

I remember getting a Bartmann Manganese Steel on ebay and on receiving it checking the edge with the 30x stereoscope. It was undamaged and a TPT rated it good enough to take directly to the 4k.I did an aggressive pyramid and followed that up with a conservative pyramid (here) and it was good to go. Shaved nicely.

That was my first experience with less being more. Many of the blades I've acquired were in rough shape and needed the 1200 DMT to get the bevel set. Anyhow I am still feeling my way but it isn't quite as dark as it was and I am beginning to feel like i am starting to know what I am doing. I've seen Lynn comment that he is still learning so I don't feel like the Lone Ranger.

[littlesilverbladefromwale]

Most of my best edges took the least work
So, are they the best edges 'cause of the less is more theory?