Thread: The Famous/Infamous Norton 4/8 "JaNorton 2012"

Okay, here is an update of what I've learned so far on this experiment the first two razors that I used. I don't remember their names shave very well. So the other day yesterday to be exact. I dug around and found an old Puma, a DHL, and another German blade. Starting with the 4K, I gave 20 circles medium pressure both sides, clean the stone. Another 20 medium pressure clean the stone, all the while noticing how much swarf came off, by the third set of 20 I noticed very little swarf, by the way the first two sets of 20 were done with slurry made with A DMT. the last set done on a clean stone with just water. In between the sets of circles. I gave each razor about 10 to 12 X strokes both sides of the stone. This method gave me exceptionally sharp edges at which point I switched to the 8K as I'm really not sure that you have to take two steps forward and one step back. As in the pyramid method, although I have used it and it does work. This way, I'm pretty sure that I'm getting all that I can from each grit so there's no need to take that one step back. On the 8K basically the same method 20 circles, followed by 10 X strokes, three sets of circles starting with medium pressure working my way to no pressure. While doing this I was also careful to notice the amount of swarf coming off the blades, and cleaning the stone between each set of circles when I was done doing this. The hair jumped off my arm at the slightest touch. Then it was onto the strop. I gave each one. 75 on the linen and 100 on the leather. This produced edges that I would've never believed could come off the 8K, especially with the old puma, which no matter what I did was not great. As a matter of fact, I was wondering how they got their reputation as most of my blades don't give me the problem that this did. Well, the results of all this work, which really didn't take long, (which was really suprising) is that the puma and a DHL are sharp as they've ever been, I shaved with the puma tonight. It was great. Better even than my new puma, which is a very good blade although it took a while to dial in. Tomorrow I'm looking forward to trying to DHL.The last blade,the German one of unknown origin did not come out great and needs some more attention which I will give it as soon as possible. I think the best part of this experiment is that it got me to slow down and really try and get the most that each grit had to offer, in doing so I've gotten blades that are much sharper than I would've imagined coming off an 8K the shaves are incredibly comfortable and if this is all I had to use, I'd be very happy with it. I can't wait to see what improvement comes from my finishing stones which consist of two Coticules , one a quick cutter, and one much finer and slower and the others being Thuringian and the last being a C12K, which is very hard very smooth and I would say rates is a very, very high grit cutter. So that's the results so far and actually I think the best thing about this whole experiment is that it's getting everybody to treat their stones with a much lighter hand and getting the most out of them. IMHO.
Also thanks Glenn for starting this whole thing and getting me and I'm sure a lot of other to remember it's not rocket science.
It's practice.