Seraphim's Synthetic Progression

I got a new weapon: DMT600 for beating blades in whimpering submission. So I figure I best hone something up, right?

Here is the progression of images (400x)

• Factory edge
• DMT600 (new hone, not broken in whatsoever)
• DMT1200 (well used and loved, broken in like an old pair of jeans)
• 3um AlOx lapping film (used many, many times)
• 1um AlOx lapping film (also used on many a razor)

And to finish it off:

• Hanging cotton strop with mix of 0.5um diamond/0.5um CromOx
  
• Final Serimification(tm) process
  
  
• What that edge looks like to the naked eye
  
• The edge after the shave and stropped

I really appreciate the photographs, Seraphim. Your edge is jagged, as is somewhat expected, in the first few photographs. Would you tell us a little more your techniques to go from the jagged edge to the straight edge seen in later photographs?

LarryAndro said:

I really appreciate the photographs, Seraphim. Your edge is jagged, as is somewhat expected, in the first few photographs. Would you tell us a little more your techniques to go from the jagged edge to the straight edge seen in later photographs?

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Simple as pie:

Just move from the 600 to the 1200, and from the 1200 to the 3um (most likely not necessary looking at the minute difference, the 1200 leaves about the same finish), then on to the 1um, and the pasted strop.

Synthetics are extremely efficient, and easy to use. No "secret tricks" needed, nor "honemeister skillz" required.

Here is a shot of my beastly setup used to get that nice edge. No beautiful rocks hewn from the Earth's crust (unless you want to count my precision granite plate!), no imported from the Far East exotics.

From left to right:
DMT600 3x8
DMT1200 2.5x11
beat up 3um AlOx film
beat up 1um AlOx film
Levi cotton belt spritzed with 0.5um diamond/Chromox mix

I was interested in your answer, especially after watching a short video by someone from Norton. They were showing how to hone hand tools. When on the rougher hones, they mentioned burr and wiry edges. I expected them to do something about the wire edges at the lower hones. But, they kept honing higher and higher into the grits. They said they were "chasing the good edge."

I got the impression that they weren't too concerned about wiry and burr edges on the lower hones, that the simple process of honing on increasingly finer hones took care of the problem.

But, there might be a difference between wiry and burr edges and the jagged edges seen in your first few pictures. Or, on a functional level, maybe "chasing the edge" applies to both.

Anyway, you didn't mention any special action to remove the jagged edges other than to imply that you continued to hone. That would be consistent with what the Norton guy said.

Your thoughts, Seraphim (and others)?

Just hone.

I have never understood the whole "mystery" around honing. The angle is set by the razor, no skill is required there. Just put the razor on the hone and have at it.

Perhaps with natural hones some are not as effective as others, and thus require finessing your way around stuff? I don't know, aside from a C12k Ive never used a natural hone.

I "broke in" the DMT600 a bit by running the flat of a chisel across it for a while. The result is much improved:

This is interesting that you, too, (along with select other well-respected honers)aren't using many high grit hones, if any. I've never shaved with one of your edges, though I've heard a plenty of good things of them.

Edited post #2 to include how the edge held up after a shave...

After the break-in of the DMT 600. I redid a different razor

• DMT600
• DMT1200
• 3um ALOx
• 1um Alox

But tried some different finishing, before deciding that I like my usual way best

• 0.5um diamond lapping film
• 0.1um diamond lapping film
• 0.5diamond/chromox hanging pasted cotton belt

This is very interesting! Thank you for posting the pics.

I am curious how many shaves you get or how long the edge holds up?

I love the DMT600, I'm finding it's really nice for cutting the time in half for repairs on abused ebay edges.

dakotaev said:

I love the DMT600, I'm finding it's really nice for cutting the time in half for repairs on abused ebay edges.

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I had used my 1200 for all that work, and it did fine. But yeah, the 600 is 400hp bevel setting getup and go!

Seraphim said:

Just hone.

I have never understood the whole "mystery" around honing. The angle is set by the razor, no skill is required there. Just put the razor on the hone and have at it.

Perhaps with natural hones some are not as effective as others, and thus require finessing your way around stuff? I don't know, aside from a C12k Ive never used a natural hone.

Click to expand...

no mystery about natural stones either, just gotta learn how to use the particular stone to the potential then it is all the same with every razor as long as thebevel is set correctly.

mainaman said:

no mystery about natural stones either, just gotta learn how to use the particular stone to the potential then it is all the same with every razor as long as thebevel is set correctly.

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Totally agree, it's not rocket science.

How many "many" uses has that lapping film had? I've never used film but I have always been interested.

Thanks for this particular thread, it is very informative and hope for more input to see it develop. I am new to honing having only been at it about 6-8 months, and not to sound as if i know what i am doing i find it to be, or lets say try to make it as simple as running the blade over the hone until it is sharp and comfortable enough for my needs. It may be that since i am using a set of the nani's that i was fortunate enough to start out with a fairly easy and foolproof system. I expect my opinion will change as i head further down the rabbit hole.

Ian

Wostenholm Pipe razor subjected to my tortures:

• DMT600
• DMT1200
• 3um film
• 1um film
• pasted stropped

A couple of dumb questions re lapping film:

- is there any difference, as applied to honing, between diamond and AlOx lapping films? I see you use both Seraphim.
- anyone know of a site that will ship small numbers of sheets of lapping film internationally ? have found two but both sell in packs of 24 sheets