well u guys that are arguing can just have this thread..seeming how u took it over....im more confused now than ever
Let's approach from a different perspective, putting the shaving irregularities aside for the moment. How does the edge behave when cutting thin/fine paper, like phonebook pages, newsprint, etc? If a burr is there, you'll likely see some snagging or grabbing while SLOWLY slicing heel-to-tip through the paper; a burr on the edge, assuming it's leaning one way or another, will interrupt the smooth cutting in the paper.
Following that test, draw the edge through a piece of wood (hopefully clean, to minimize complications caused by abrasive dirt in/on the wood). See how the above paper-cutting test performs again, after doing this. If the edge was at least cutting the paper previously, possibly with a little snagging, and that behavior changes noticeably after drawing the edge through the wood, that's a strong indicator the burr has moved or rolled or broken/fractured along the edge. For example, if you find it's not cutting paper at all anymore, that's a clue the burr has completely rolled over or stripped away, leaving a rough or bluntish edge behind. Another example: If you're lucky, you might see cutting improve, with less snagging or perhaps none, with the edge slicing more effortlessly through the paper, indicating you were already VERY close to a good edge anyway, with just a fine burr getting in the way and subsequently stripping off in the wood; sometimes that's all it takes to wrap it up.
If, after drawing the edge through the wood, you don't see any change at all (still cutting the fine paper, albeit somewhat roughly), that's an indication a burr is still there, but it's thicker & tougher, and needs more aggressive burr-removal methods. This is where a denim strop with good AlOx compound really excels; and it'll even refine the edge further, if used carefully.
(This mess is a LOT simpler than much of the WAY overcomplicated 'advice' given so far in this thread. You didn't ask for such distraction, and you shouldn't have to put up with it, either.)
David