Wow ! What a blast from the past this thread is. Great to read Lynn on magnification. When I get a 'new' razor whether truly new or an ebay special I look at it under the 30x microscope to see the condition of the edge and what I may have in store for me. I do a TPT and see if it has any keenness. If not I do a TNT to see how dull it is.

My next move is the marker. I do a few passes flat and determine if I am going to have to use a rolling x, or heel leading at an angle or a regular x pattern. Once I know that I wipe the excess ,marker off and hone. The condition of the edge determines where in the grit progression I start.