An Embarrasing Honing Situation
Gentleman, I am in a position where I must ask a question, though it is somewhat embarrasing to do so. It is embarrasing because I've been shaving with straights and honing them on my own since I was a teenager. However, I've only gone through or used/purchased a dozen or so in my lifetime. In recent history, I've been using a 1/4k norton and what I believe to be around an 8,000 grit shapton, and an old strop, which I've never had the need to paste. I have always, ALWAYS been able to easily and quickly hone my razors, but I've recently come into one that has me stumped. It's a newer dovo, and I've tried honing it on three separate occasions. I've tried every trick I know. Honing method, hones, strop are all tried and true. But for the life of me, I can't get this dovo blade to shave without pulling. It's ALMOST there, but won't pass a certain sharpness point, at least with me at the controls and with my equipment. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice, and, because I've never used paste on a strop before, will paste give me that little extra that I need to make this razor shaveable?