HELP! Evil, dull "factory-honed" razor won't sharpen.
The razor: C-MON Blackie 5/8" carbon-steel straight razor, "factory-honed"
The hones: DMT 325 grit, Naiwana 1k/8k, 0.1 micron / 0.3 micron pasted balsa wood
The progression: Naiwana 1k, Naiwana 8k, 0.3 micron balsa, 0.1 micron balsa
I've tried to hone this razor three times. I can get the edge to look sharp, but it won't even cut my soft forearm hair. In the hopes that a honemeister can find my flaw, here is what I do:
Lap Naiwana 1k/8k with DMT 325. Soak Naiwana for 15-20 mins. Tape razor's spine with 1 layer electrical tape. Remove Naiwana from water and place on flat table. Rest razor flat on stone and push down the stone and across for X-pattern, with only slightly more pressure than the weight of the razor itself. Re-applying water to stone when needed. Complete ~50 passes, then flip to 8k side and repeat with ~100 passes. Strop on 0.3 side of balsa with slightly more pressure than weight of razor itself ~50 passes, then flip to 0.1 side and strop ~100 passes.
Some more information about the razor and my experience: I have been straight-razor shaving for a year and I am just now trying to get into honing. I have successfully touched up my other razor (that which was perfectly-honed by Randy Tuttle [randydance] this past summer at the Kenosha, WI meet-up) with the pasted balsa wood a couple times. When I first received the C-MON Blackie this past summer, I was actually able to shave with it ~5 times after using the pasted balsa wood before it became too uncomfortable to use.
Please think critically about the issue I am having, and reply with any questions you may need answered in order to provide a solution.
Looking forward to hearing back from our awesome community!
-Mike