I finally got some lapping film... Found an ebay auction with buy now for $25 shipped for a full lapping film set up (12, 5, 3 and 1µm), and a practically new Whipped Dog "Poor man's strop kit"! I figured, can't go wrong at that price! Sure, its not the full lapping film available on Amazon for about $11, but for practically nothing, I got at least a full sheet of each grit size, most was cut up, but I found enough I have 2-3 usable pieces of each, some grits more. I'm good for more razors than I'm likely to own!
So tonight I honed my first ever straight razor: a W&G from probably 30's or 40's I got for $5 years back at the antique store, that had a decent edge on it already. I worked my way through using Slash's instructions, and finished up with about 30 laps each on .3µm pasted balsa and .1µm pasted balsa (the WD kit), then probably 25 laps on the poor mans strop.
Result? Passes all HHT tests up and down the blade, and tree-tops arm hairs with ease. HHT is as good as my Feather AC SS with 2 shaves on a blade, so the blade is no where near worn yet. I consider that GREAT for a first attempt! I'll find out more tomorrow when I shave. I'll have the NEW on standby, I always have a DE for touching up spots. My neck is tricky with any razor, so I'd rather touch it up than slice it up.
Thanks for the tips all, especially slash for the great write up (and, youtube videos). The spray bottle with water is a must have
So tonight I honed my first ever straight razor: a W&G from probably 30's or 40's I got for $5 years back at the antique store, that had a decent edge on it already. I worked my way through using Slash's instructions, and finished up with about 30 laps each on .3µm pasted balsa and .1µm pasted balsa (the WD kit), then probably 25 laps on the poor mans strop.
Result? Passes all HHT tests up and down the blade, and tree-tops arm hairs with ease. HHT is as good as my Feather AC SS with 2 shaves on a blade, so the blade is no where near worn yet. I consider that GREAT for a first attempt! I'll find out more tomorrow when I shave. I'll have the NEW on standby, I always have a DE for touching up spots. My neck is tricky with any razor, so I'd rather touch it up than slice it up.
Thanks for the tips all, especially slash for the great write up (and, youtube videos). The spray bottle with water is a must have