Quote Originally Posted by threeputt
I don't understand what X means by "overpolishing" an edge at 8k. I take my edges all the way to .25 micron paste. They shave (me) wonderfully.
I use the 0.25 as well. In fact I follow the 8k with about 6 laps on the 12k followed by the 0.5 mocron stick and finally about 10 - 20 passes on the 0.25. I have just experienced that too much honing on the higher grits can over smooth or perhaps round the edge beyond the point of a good shaving edge. I don't use a microscope, but I am continually doing the thumb test and the hanging hair test and both of these tests as well as the shave provide feedback to me which reaffirms my conclusions.

I look at it this way;
Some serrated knives have large teeth like this; AAAAAAA
Other serrated knives have smaller teeth like this;^^^^^^
Some have small teeth and larger teeth intermixed, like this;A^^A^^A^^A^^A^^A^^
Moving up in grits adds smaller teeth to the larger ones, like this;A''^''^''A''^''^''A''^''^''A
This is the best shaving edge I can make. To overdo it on the higher grits only leaves behind the smaller teeth like these;'''''''''''' which can be too small and get bunched up in the hairs thus shaving less effectively. The combination of some deeper grooves and some shallower ones seems to provide the sublime edge.

Each man's beard is different, so differences will occur, but that's the experience I have while honing.

X