Rookie question... regarding post 8k honing.
Ok, having achieved a limited amount of success due to JaNorton, I have a new challenge facing me.
I have had some blades I tried to hone come out really rough on the face. Left me with a lot of razor burn (left cheek looks like hell) but removed stubble.
The TNT felt good after the bevel was set, so after repairing it again on the 1k I moved on to the 4k then to the 8k, off to the C12k and then a balsa CrOx pasted paddle. Lots of strokes on the felt and leather, then a test shave.
The test shave sucked rocks and burned and bumped me up something terrible.
SO, ok back to the hones she went. I didn't blunt it in anyway, but went back to the 1k, the 4k and the 8k. Stopped there, but went 100/200 on the felt/leather and test shaved. Much much better this time around.
So this time no C12k or the balsa paddle, and the results were pretty good, so much better than yesterday. No tug or pull at all, and left me fairly clean after 1 pass. I was very encouraged. I went ahead and did the full 3 passes and even had a comfortable go at a ATG pass with pretty good success.
So, taking another razor I have been wanting to hone, a shoulderless 13/16 Robeson, I followed the exact same routine, excluding the C12k and the balsa. This one popped hair with no effort at all, and I mean popped. I could literally hear the pop as it sent one flying, clean over the spine when it popped (arm hair that is, a good 1/3" off the skin, I have long arm hair).
SO I'm preparing to shave with it tomorrow, if my left cheek allows me to anyway.
My question is this, did I mess them up on the 12k or balsa? Shouldn't I have actually made the edge smoother using one or the other or both?
If I use the same technique of X strokes on the C12k, which is hard as heck and leaves a super soft talc like slurry when dry, and of course all speak well of CrOx paddles, so I expected better.
If I shave with this one tomorrow and it goes well, which I think it will, this robeson was a great shaver before I messed it up experimenting with barber hones (too many strokes during practice), should I go for the next level with the C12k and balsa?
IDK, any thoughts from you all? Could it by the C12k or the balsa? Should I consign myself to shaving off the 8k only from here on out, or what?
Thanks ahead of time!!
Mike