Quote Originally Posted by mackie View Post
So lets say I buy an old razor.If I start with say a 400 grit stone and when the bevel is set then I back stroke six times and then go to an 800 stone for a while, and then back stroke it a few times and then go to a 1000 grit, and then back stroke it a few times etc. Would that prevent over honing? Seems to me it would have to. If so, then that is the method I will use from now on.
I'm a big proponent of understanding what is going on and doing what is necessary, not just a catch-it-all recipe.

For example recently I was talking to a member who had a dull edge. I suggested that he stay on the bevel setting hone until the edge is sharp, but he wanted to do pyramids just to make sure he doesn't overhone the razor.
When it was all finished he counted that he had done about 200 laps on the 1k hone and since he went to doing 4k/8k pyramids every 15 or so laps that means he did at least 500 completely useless strokes. It's a good way to learn when you don't have much experience as more practice improves the stroke, but as far as getting the razor sharp switching hones too early is rather inefficient.