What am I doing wrong?

[thanks]

I have honed a Double Arrow to shave ready from dull as a butter knife before, but it took quite a bit of work. I assumed (wrongly!) that since I was able to do such a thing, then perhaps I was ready to restore the edge of my TI. I bought my TI about a month and a half ago, and have used it almost every day. Paste worked every few weeks or so, but just recently the paste was no longer enough. I found this odd after only a month and a half, but then again I like my razors scary sharp with a smooth edge. I know it can always be sharper and smoother, so I decided to take it to my Norton 8k, then finish it on the paste. Well after about only 5 laps on the 8k, and about 20 on the chrom ox it was sharper, but noticeably rougher. I went back to the 8k for another 8 laps, then 10 on the chrom ox, and now after testing it on my arm I wouldn't dare put it to my face! It's dulled out now, and seemingly rougher than before! Did I overhone? I don't have any stone higher than 8k right now, but I have a Chinese 12k on the way pre-lapped with a slurry stone coming, so I'm looking forward to trying again when that arrives. In the meantime, any and all advice is appreciated.

As a tiny bit of background, when I first started straight shaving my stropping obviously was terrible, but that was 7 months ago. My stropping has gotten decent, so I don't think it's my actual stropping that caused it to dull so fast. My beard isn't exactly course and thick, but my chin is almost like barbed wire.

 

[SliceOfLife]

My guess would be too much pressure on the 8k. That's the only thing can see accounting for a seemingly "sharper but rougher" edge.

 

[Bart]

I bought my TI about a month and a half ago, and have used it almost every day. Paste worked every few weeks or so, but just recently the paste was no longer enough.

2 possibilities (probably a bit of both):
1. the bevel on your razor became more and more convex shaped, from doing the pasted stropping. Eventually the angle at the very edge becomes so steep, that the razor starts to pull.
2. small indentations accumulate on the edge, caused by impact with harder beard hairs. That slowly kills the keenness over time.

I found this odd after only a month and a half, but then again I like my razors scary sharp with a smooth edge. I know it can always be sharper and smoother, so I decided to take it to my Norton 8k, then finish it on the paste.

This won't do. Your razor is in need of honing. The 8K is too slow to remove the aforementioned indentations, and certainly too slow to undo the convexity.

Well after about only 5 laps on the 8k, and about 20 on the chrom ox it was sharper, but noticeably rougher.

How can you discern between roughness and sharpness? An edge that lacks keenness will certainly appear "rougher", than a keen edge. Both qualities are closely related. I suspect the 8K is not doing much for the edge at this point, because it won't touch the very edge, until you've restored both bevel panes to a completely flat state. The paste does touch the very edge, due to some give in the pasted strop's surface.

I went back to the 8k for another 8 laps, then 10 on the chrom ox, and now after testing it on my arm I wouldn't dare put it to my face! It's dulled out now, and seemingly rougher than before! Did I overhone?

You did not overhone. Your razor needs bevel correction.

I don't have any stone higher than 8k right now, but I have a Chinese 12k on the way pre-lapped with a slurry stone coming, so I'm looking forward to trying again when that arrives. In the meantime, any and all advice is appreciated.

Well, you need to restore flat and perfect bevel sides. All decent honing must start with achieving that first. How long it takes, depends on the speed of the hone you use to do it, and on how far off the bevel is to start with.
I presume that 8K has a 4K side? In that case my advice is to work on the 4K, till the bevel is ready for refinement on the 8K. But how to know when it's ready? The easiest way is this: put the razor with the edge down on a beer bottle and drag it once, without any other pressure than its own weight, over the glass. One stroke suffices. Try shaving arm hair. It won't work. (repeat one more stroke if it does). Now you can just stay on the 4K till the razor does shave arm hair again.
The dulling stroke only sets you back 10-15 strokes on the 4K, probably even less. But you'll most likely need to do a lot more, because you need to hone out all convexity, before the very edge makes contact and starts to sharpen up again. This is a sure way to get a good bevel. Just stay on 4K till the razor shaves arm hair again along the entire edge . At that point, you're as good as home. Refine it with 20 of your lightest laps on the 8K. 10 laps on your favorite paste and you should be back in business. There are many strategies to get a great edge, but in all cases, you need to establish a perfect bevel first.

As a tiny bit of background, when I first started straight shaving my stropping obviously was terrible, but that was 7 months ago. My stropping has gotten decent, so I don't think it's my actual stropping that caused it to dull so fast. My beard isn't exactly course and thick, but my chin is almost like barbed wire.

Barbed wire? There's that micro damage.

Kind regards,
Bart.

 

[richmondesi]

Excellent recommendation from Bart. That stroke on glass technique has really really helped me. It's the most effective technique that I've tried to make sure that my bevel is "right". It has proven 100% effective for me