Does a straight razor come to a point where honing makes it useless? One of my razors that used to be a 4/8 is down to about 3/8 or less and even though there appears to be enough blade left I just can't get it shaving sharp anymore. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Wider blades are easier to hone, and are less finicky about honing technique. Many guys have trouble honing 4/8 and smaller razors, which is probably why 5/8 was the most common size.
At some point I think you reach the life of the blade when the spine and edge angle are so worn down you can't get the correct angle when honing. Also the razor will be much thicker at that edge than previously and that would create issues. Is this a razor you've had for years or was well worn when you got it?