So I have this old Herder...it came in a lot and I really like the shape of it, and I'd heard good things about them, but it had some pitting RIGHT at the bevel, so I was kind of leery about putting any time into it.

Well, tonight I was bored so I cleaned it up with some polish, and it looked really great. Surprisingly good for no sanding at all.

Then I put two layers of tape on and hit the 400 to see about that pitting.

Under mag, after 10 passes, the putting was gone and the tiny little bevel was smooth and clean. Huzzah! I thought, and went to the 1K.

15 passes on the ik, and the bevel was popping hairs. What? Yeah.

15 passes to get past the 400 bevel with 2 layers of tape. I checked with marker and everything...right out to the edge. Is that normal? It isn't, right?

SO anyway, I gave it 10 more passes, just to make sure and just because I couldn't believe it.

Total of 25 on the 1K.

Moved up to 2K super stone. 20 passes, and the bevel is looking polished under mag. It's popping hairs more smoothly, as well, so I figure OK, up to the 4K. 20 passes, and it starts popping hairs above the arm. 10 more, and the arm hairs are dancing away...30 total on 4K.

Up to 8K, 10 passes, and the hairs are starting to fall.

10 more, and they're dropping like flies. The TPT is sticky icky.

A total of 95 passes form damaged, pitted edge to ready for test shave.

I shaved (no stropping) and it was such a sharp edge..I'm a little stunned. I got a great shave off of an 8k edge. And what's more, it was easy. It was like, you know how you thought it would be before you first tried to hone? Rub a piece of steel on some rocks and it gets sharp? I mean, this is even a smiling edge!

It was really like that. No fancy tricks, no frustration, just zip zip shave.

I can't wait to feel it after some high grit polish...

So are Herders always this easy? Cause if they are, I'm getting some more...