duller off the 8k than the 8k, whats up with that?

I have been diligently workign on my honing abilities. I am not confident about any of my "feel" test such as the thumb test so i use hair to test the blade, usually some form of the HHT. I can get to the point on the 4k where I can hold a hair in my hand and come in wiht the razor and cut it if i have a little movement (speed) with the razor. If i take that blade to the 8k i then lose that ability and the razor doesnt want to cut the hair. I am not sure what is going on. IS there something about the texture of the 8k that has me honing at a different angle than the 4k? is the relatively rougher edge of the 4k honed blade better able to grab the hair than the 8k honed blade?

I think a blade off the 4k can pass the HHT easier than an oversmoothed blade form the 8k. I often find that being close and smoothing the edge further on the 8k can just make it impossible. I have an image of the edge building up throught the pyramid to get a deep yet fine tipped set of striations. Try going right through the small or medium pyramid again to establish deapth and remember to go lighter on the 8k than on the 4k.

Joe Lerch would tell you to just do a few back hone passes and then a few forward and you'd be done. He might be right too.

X

Passing the hanging hair test with a SLOW razor is the trick. A blade with pretty agressive microserrations will work well with a litle speed because it will, act like a serrated knife. That would not provide a comfortable shave, which is the real goal of all this stuff we're doing. I don't think an 8K is really fine enough for the best edge. It will allow a workable shaving edge, but certainly not the best. A good razor that's well honed should shave against the grain effortlesslessly and with absolutely NO pulling or discomfort. A razor that sharp will easily pass a hanging hair test with even fine hair, but it's quite a challenge to get it that sharp with an 8K stone, in my opinion.

I don't use either the hanging hair test or the thumb nail test. There are many razors that will provide a nice shave with just using the Norton 4k/8K. But as said if the goal is a really great shave then a higher grit is recommended. I like doing all the set up work on the Norton and then going to the Coticule for the finish. After that, it's strop and shave to see if the razor is where it needs to be. The feedback the shave gives makes it much easier to guage just how much honing is left to do.

Lynn

Ok, once again, doing the HHT after using the 4000 is a waste of time. The only time to use the HHT is after the 8000. Not the 12000 or the 15000 or the Belgian coticule or the pasted paddle strop or plain leather strop.

Next, the HHT is performed with the blade held STATIONARY!, edge up. Take the hair, root end out about one inch, with the hair curving down and slowly bring it down over the edge of the blade.

You may very well be spending to much time on the 4000 and the razor may now be to thin (wire edge). Use the Thumb nail test and tell us what you feel, raggedy, smooth, cuts into the nail?

I agree with lynn I've had razors pass the thumb and hair test and not shave well so I only do shave test