Thread: Why am I getting small scratches on the blade when honing?

I've been honing with Nortons and a Chinese 12k.

The blades are getting sharp but I'm also ending up with small scratches above the bevel.

What am I doing wrong?

In my experience, that happens on lower grit hones due to loose grit (such as slurry or dust or other debris) on the hone. Using pressure on full hollows increases the chances, because that bends the razor such that the steel gets closer to the hone. It can also happen on heavier ground razors, because they have steel closer to the hone as well. It will usually happen just above the bevel and/or just below the spine.