Today was by far the best straight razor shave I've ever had!! I'm convinced it has something to do with the heavier blade on the Wade & Butcher. I don't know why, but I find the lighter blades, especially my stainless Dovo, to be more difficult to control...they are just too darn light. Anyway, I was shaving with my newly honed W&B when I realized I was working the razor like I had been shaving with it for months...It felt natural...and then I started thinking about how I was doing it and proceeded to cut myself 3 times in succession. Decided it was a sign from the Almighty to put down the cut-throat and finish with something a bit tamer...

I figured that I couldn't screw up the blade too badly, so I decided to take a chance and try my hand at honing it up. I was pretty surprised at how much more natural it felt using the rolling X pattern than a traditional X pattern. I got the blade pretty darn sharp off the 4000/8000 Norton and a 12k chinese waterstone (slurry first then water).
This heavy razor also doesn't seem to provide the same auditory queues when stropping that a lighter blade gives off letting you know it's sharp. I didn't hear the same high pitched rasp that my Lynn-honed Dovo gives off when I strop it. Are there any other queues that I can watch for/listen for on a heavier blade?

O well...it was a happy shave day
Now if I could just cut down on the blood-letting...

Chuck