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Not really a secret, Bill!

A vice with good, long jaws is necessary. I have an old screw-press book-binders vice that sits on the desktop with the screw handle on the top and heavy, horizontal...

I agree with you.

I find that a strop with very heavy draw (eg, the old style, thick and oily latigo) bring out the edge very fast indeed, and I think that is not a bad thing, for a novice user...