Just saw another thread where some other newbie got a razor shave ready starting from ground zero using Norton 4K/8K. A 1K and Chinese 12K were also in the mix.

In one sense it is encouraging and in another discouraging. I am encouraged that if someone else can do it so can I and discouraged that I really can't do it yet!

I have five Naniwas:

220
1K
5K
8K
12K

I figured the 5K and 8K would be the equivalent of the Norton 4K/8K. The 12K would be a good extra for finishing and the 1K could be used to set the bevel on a really dull blade. (The 220 was a freebie as it was sent to me by mistake.)

All hones have been lapped twice (using pencil lines) with a DMT8C. It was a bit disconcerting that the second lapping took just about as long to remove the pencil lines as the first lapping. Didn't the first lapping do *any* good? Did the second one?

Well, none of this is working out for me. Seems the more I hone the duller and rougher the blade gets! A 100X microscope makes it look like the coast of some rocky island during a storm. I try my best to hold the blades flat, with as little pressure as possible. I use plenty of water. Nothing seems to do any good!

I have since read that the Naniwa 3K/5K are closer equivalents to the Norton 4K/8K than my 5K/8K. Perhaps I really need that 3K but I already have five of these things!

Arrrgh!

(rant over)

I do have one razor out for re-honing and an examination to see if the error(s) of my way can be identified.