Sadly, I had as little talent w/ the stones as I have in photography. It took me about 350 razors (and a couple K in stones) to get this level of sharpness. The newer guys learning to hone - I tell them stupidity (too dumb to know when to quit) or determination - both work eventually. With photography, its been off and on since my teen years. Now I want a much higher level of quality. I'm sure grateful to all the kind guys here sharing what they know. On sharpness - its neccessary, but not sufficient. Just sharp is a recipe for carnage. Its gotta be smooth to the face. I'll have to see if I can get a photo of a first time shaver after his first stroke. The eyes get big - amazement at how something that sharp can feel so smooth against the skin.