Thread: Pyramid Schemes!

Applying Lynn's method , as sixgun said, the 5/8 and finish on the 12k. When I had naniwas I liked to do the pyramid on the 3/5 and finish on the 8k. Lynn and Dylan were doing 5/8 and 12. Going to 12 was icing on the cake. Either way is good but the 12 is strictly for the finishing.

Update:

Ok fellows, I ducked out early this afternoon to work the pyramid, whilst trying to follow carefully from Glen's excellent videos. Test shave, and it looks like I've dulled the blade!

So I think I've got more a more basic problem, and I believe it's the un-straightness of the blade.

I'll need to make something of a study of the ways and means of rolling / x-stroking the blade so as to actually be sharpening it before i return to such advanced topics as pyramids etc.

I suspect that last time I honed my razors, the improved sharpness didn't come from the hones at all, but actually from the pasted T-I paddle strop that I "finished" the blade on.

Your key visual guide when using the X stroke/rolling X is to "watch the water flow from heel to toe".
I am assuming your going to use a heel leading stroke. As you move the blade across & down the hone the water should first puddle in front of the heel and the move gradually up the blade toward the toe as your blade come down and across. The water should not go under the blade.

One of us really needs to put up a video of this using the Norton 4K ( white) and the slurry from a BBW ( dark). This is what I use to show new guys in my home how to perform the X stroke.

I think the 'magic marker' might be of value here too.
Refer to the WIKI on the correct method.
Put simply, it involves drawing a line with a magic marker/sharpie along the bevel and doing a couple of light honing strokes to see where the edge is or is not touching the hone and adjusting your stroke accordingly.
I hope this helps

After my last update I spent a good bit of time last night, starting back at the 1k (naniwa), up through the 12 k, pasted T-I strop, and hanging strop before shaving.

So, while the shave felt smooth and didn't pull, it wasn't at all close this morning -- had to redo the shave with my trusty EJ safety. I thought I was getting the blade sharp, last night, but obviously not.

Your advice this morning, then, about the marker test and the water pooling test is much appreciated. This'll be my next try this afternoon, after work.

Many thanks.

Maybe this will help a little.

SRD DVD Honing Clip - YouTube