I'm at the point in my honing where I can pretty easily get an edge that'll pop hairs like crazy. But sometimes that edge causes some irritation when I shave with it.

What makes an edge comfortable? How can a screamin' sharp edge feel rough and uncomfortable sometimes?

I'm using a Norton and 1 and .5 micron pastes. I usually get the razor to catch and cut hairs off the 4K side, then move on to the 8K for 25 laps with some pressure and 5 to 10 laps with no pressure. Then 10 to 20 laps on the 1 micron and 10 to 20 on the .5. Sometimes I do some work on a Swaty before I go to the pastes, depending on how the edge is behaving off the 8K.

Also, when you guys talk about a "smooth" edge, are you referring to the whole bevel, or just the actual edge?

It's possible that the problem is my shaving technique. Ironically, I've been honing since August but only shaving for about three or four weeks, so I still go through phases where I irritate the heck out of my face and then have to take it easy for a couple of days...

Thanks,
Josh