Quote Originally Posted by Joe Lerch
A 4K grit really has no place in keeping a razor keen. It's used to set up an edge on a dull razor, and that's it. Once the edge is keen the 4K can do little good.
This is just insanity, Joe. While it's true that most razors can go a long while before needing a trip to the 4k, others (like Ed's Wolstenholm) NEED the 4k and less of the 8k.

Quote Originally Posted by Joe Lerch
If you look at the old barber's manual, it speaks in terms of one hone and a strop. That probably would have been a fine to extra fine hone, because the manual specifically warns against using a hone that's too fast. So, traditionally the edge would be maintained with better than an 8K hone.
You might be right, but there's a lot of assuming going on there. Just because it says "the hone" and "the strop" doesn't mean there wouldn't often be more than one. In fact the variety of old barber hones available wuld refute such thinking.

Quote Originally Posted by Joe Lerch
I know of no reference that recommends aas coarse a hone as 4K for maintenance.
Except all over this forum.

Quote Originally Posted by Joe Lerch
My thinking is that in time the 8K hone will wear away all remnants of the 4K hone striations and then you'll have only 8K striations. That will be the steady state of your razor, and I don't know why you would ever go back to 4K unless you had a mishap.
If that's the case, which I doubt, then why not just do 20 laps on the 8k and have done with it? Or 100 for that matter? Then you're sure to eliminate all those peske 4k striations.

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