Thread: Question regarding pyramid

I'm wondering if anyone could help explain to me when sharpening using the pyramid method what the intermittent passes on the finishing hones accomplishes.

For example, when honing a razor that is far from shave ready and needs the bevel to be established, do the passes on the finer stones accomplish anything significant, or would it be equally effective just to fully establish the bevel using the medium hone, deburr, then move on to polishing the edge with the finishing stones?

Thanks very much.

The pyramid is mostly useful when you're establishing that finishing bevel. However you can use nothing but the pyramid and get a butterknife-dull blade shave ready. Here's what I do:
1) Establish the initial bevel with 4k (maybe starting with 1k if the blade is really dull, especially with heavy grinds)
2) Take a few swipes on the 8k just to see the progress of the bevel (check out Lynn's tips, he made a very good note on that)
3) Then I apply a variation of the pyramid to finish the blade, sometimes just a few 1-5 strokes and sometimes a couple of full pyramids, depending on the steel/grind.
4) Finish on 0.5micron CrO2

Thanks for the response. I'm actually more curious as to what the intermittent passes using different grits accomplish when sharpening. My understanding is that (especially when doing the final stages for the finished edge) is that you're aiming to refine the edge and that the passes on the coarser grit is to prevent overhoning and development of a burr? If this is the case, then I'm assuming that there's no real benefit of switching to the finer hones when trying to establish the initial bevel then?

Also, with finishing stones, since they generally don't cut as rapidly, logic would infer that the ratio of metal removed to force applied is low - thus you're "forming" the edge with force rather than cutting/polishing the edge (thereby leaving the edge slightly more fatigued than if it were just freshly cut with a more aggressive stone)?

I know this may be a little technical, but I'm just curious as to what happens so I can understand what I'm trying to accomplish when honing a razor (plus I like to try new things...).

Thanks again for your input

The purpose of the pyramid was to have a system that will allow just about anyone to hone just about any blade. Give a random n00b a well-lapped Norton, throw a blade at him (as long as it doesn't have a majorly chipped edge) and as long as he sticks with the pyramids, chances are, he'll get that blade shave ready.
Therefore you are correct that it doesn't have any major benefits in the initial stages other than to check how much of a bevel you already formed.
As for the finer finishers, I'll let true honemeisters chime in with their observations. IME, it has been most beneficial to just work on that single grit until the edge stops improving and then either start shaving or go higher.