The Bent Pyramid

There are times when the established pyramid honing structure doesn't fit the moment. Whether it's the steel, the edge, using a barber hone or honing a wedge. For example three 1/3 passes are a great way to touch up my shavers when followed by the pasted strop. What I'm wondering of the honemeisters is; what are the specifics of your personal alterations to the regular pyramid? When, how and with what tools are, I guess the major questions, but anything else you can think of to add would be good to know too. I've mentioned a few of the possible conditions, but am still keen(lol) to know the details.

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I always pyramid, the difference is what I'm moving from and to. 4,000 to 8,000 then, 8,000 to medium barber hone then medium barber hone to fine barber hone then fine barber hone to pasted strop. At whatever hone/paste I'm using at that moment I ask myself, "Is this improving the edge in anyway I can feel or see (either by shaving, looking at it, or literally moving my thumb over it). If the answer is no I drop down to the previous level for a quick few passes and then back up to the original tool using a dab of pressure, little pressure, then finally as little pressure as I can manage, often changing the conditions of the stone (perhaps adding lather) to give me more leeway and usefulness from it. The difference for me also is that I don't just try and do it all at once, I do it in stages that often go through a week. Monday its the Norton, Wednesday barber hones, and Friday pasted strops are the focus, with one or two swipes of the lower grit thrown in. To me its like meeting a new girl on Sunday and trying to get in her pants by the following weekend. You need to take her out on a few really nice warm up dates during the week and get to know who she is, what she responds to, and what she doesn't like. Every once in a while you gotta expect to get slapped in the face though.

I don't really need to take this long anymore, but for me I keep doing it. It helps me get to know the blade better and understand it.

I used to drop down in frustration and do more than one or two passes on the lower grit, but I found that I over honed that way, so I'm more careful about that now.

Hope you don't mind my input, I'm no honemeister, but I'm starting to understand what works for me and my blades.

Tools - Norton 4000/8000 Chinese 12000 HA 0.5 chrome oxide pasted strop

After the nicks are out of the blade and the bevel is established using first the Norton 1000 and finishing on the Norton 4000 then

5/4000 5/8000
3/4000 5/8000
3/4000 5/8000
1/4000 3/8000
1/4000 3/8000
1/4000 3/8000 HHT test (Hanging Hair Test)

repeat if necessary starting at the 3/4000 5/8000 step

when satisfied with the results of the HHT then
25-50 laps chinese 12000 hone
25 round trip laps HA 0.5 chrome oxide pasted strop, then clean blade
35 " plain leather strop
shave

Repeat if necessary

Thats my general approach.

I usually hone by the general feel of things depending whether its an Eboy special or I'm just honing one from my rotation. I use either a norton 4k/8k or a blue and yellow corticule. I find the norton faster. Then a 12K Kitayama stone.

If its a dullard I'll start with about 30 strokes on the 4K and about 60 on the 8K and about fifteen minutes on the 12K. Depending on how its going I'll adjust the pressure especially on the 4K. I rarely have to go back to the 4K usually if it needs more work its the 8K that makes the difference. Depending on the razor sometimes I'll finish up with the diamond pasted strop and then the plain leather and linen.

If its from my regular rotation usually about five or six passes on the 4K and maybe 30 on the 8K and ten minutes on the 12K is all it needs. If I'm using the coticules I can almost double the hone times.