This is my first post, although I've spent quite a few hours gleaning wisdom from this excellent resource. I'm new to straight razor shaving, and thus far I haven't been able to get through a complete shave. I think the problem is the sharpness of my razor (or razors; in two weeks I've already gotten four, including a W&B 7/8 that will be beautiful someday). First my question, then the background.

My question is, what other honing techniques can I try, given the equipment I currently have?

Here's what I've tried: My favorite eBay razor was blunt enough that it didn't even have a bevel. To establish a bevel, I stuck some 600-grit sandpaper to a piece of glass with water and tried to grind a bevel that was even on both sides, keeping the spine and edge flat. I applied some pressure, maybe a medium amount. I actually worked the blade back and forth without flipping it over for a while, then flipped it and repeated on the other side.

Then I went to 1500 and 2000 grit sandpapers, using more of a honing motion: stroke, then flip the blade, then stroke on the other side. I'd say I did 50 laps on each grade of paper.

Finally I went to a barber's hone, which I think is ceramic. It's a Boss hone I got on eBay. I've lapped it on 600-grit paper and a piece of glass, so it should be flat.

I spent about 20 minutes doing X patterns on the hone, slowly, trying to keep the spine flat and use little or no pressure. I'm going slowly on the hanging strop, trying to keep the razor flat.

When I look at the edge with the 60x Radioshack microscope, I see a pretty consistent scratch pattern. I can see some irregularities in the edge, but it looks pretty straight to me.

But the razor shaves my arm hair reluctantly, and when I try it on my face . . . well, let's just say I used a lot of witch hazel this morning. It does shave, but it doesn't get even my sideburns smooth without a LOT of strokes, and it sticks fast in my chin stubble.

So, to clarify my question, assuming that my actual shaving technique is not the problem (I'm using a mug and brush, showering first, keeping my beard wet, using lots of lather, stretching my skin, keeping the spine one to two spine widths from my skin, going with the grain on my first pass), can I get a shaving-sharp edge from my barber's hone? How many laps on the barber's would it take to polish the coarse edge from the 2000 grit paper? What else can I try that I haven't already done?

Also, is a wire edge visible under the 60x microscope? What does it look like?

I know, I know, I really should send it to Lynn or one of the other guys, but I'd like to be able to get an edge I can use while I wait for them to work their magic. The Mach III is just killing me...

Thanks for any help you can offer--this forum is great.