Old man memory is not all that bad:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...Alum-oxide-lapping-film?p=1118876#post1118876Seraphim said:
Lapping film, try it.
- Thread starter Blix
- Start date
Ahhh, I feel so much better now. I was much more concerned with confusing Seraphim with someone else than I was with a possible memory gap.
Wow, nice find from the archives!
Yes, I think diamond film is more effective at material removal. Markedly faster. But over the course of the intervening 6+ years since that post was made, I've come to the conclusion that the extra 30 seconds that ALOx may require over the diamond is not worth paying the diamond premium for. But, if you got the money to spare, sure, diamond is the greatest.
Yes, I think diamond film is more effective at material removal. Markedly faster. But over the course of the intervening 6+ years since that post was made, I've come to the conclusion that the extra 30 seconds that ALOx may require over the diamond is not worth paying the diamond premium for. But, if you got the money to spare, sure, diamond is the greatest.
That's an impressive recollection.
We mostly agree. The only difference is that for me the high-end diamond film lasted sufficiently longer than the ALOx to amortize the cost difference.
That's an impressive recollection.
Thank you.
I found this and wanted to try out the lapping film instead of spending so much on stones, and wondered if there was a difference between Polishing Sheet by 3M 1200 Grit (Blue) and "lapping film". I'll be honest i haven't read all 115 pages of this thread so i'm sorry if it has already been discussed. I found the Polishing sheets on "texasknifes.com" when i was looking for some pinning rods. I didn't know if they were the same thing since there were so much cheaper than what i was seeing on Thorlabs (15 bucks per sheet? was i looking at that right?)
I think you missed 2 important numbers. The AlOx (Aluminium Oxide) Sheets on thorlabs site are 13 inch by 9 inch sheets. And they start at $13.80 for 10 sheets. the 0.3 micron sheets are $15.50 for 10.
The 6 inch by 6 inch Diamond sheets are much more expensive at $40.70 for 5 sheets.
How big a jump is it from a DMT 1200 to the 3M 12um AlOx film? Is that a reasonable progression for bevel-setting (then proceeding up through 9/5/3/1/0.3)?
It's reasonable, and skip the 5um film too. You can go from 9um to 3um without issues.
Well I've read through all 100+ pages a couple months ago and began honing and shaving with a $20 straight I got from a local antique store. With all the info on this thread I was able to bring the dull blade to life and have been getting close and enjoyable shaves. So thank you all, in particular Seraphim and Slash for your gracious contributions here.
I'm now trying to refine my finishing and using different techniques. I have some 0.5 diamond spray with felt on the way that I'll be incorporating as well. I was consistently finishing with 1um, 1um with paper, CrOx on balsa, then strop. I can get a sharp shave, but not as smooth a shave as I'd like. Last night I started honing with 60 laps at 3um then went straight to canvas and leather strop and had a nice, smooth shave, but not as sharp (forgot to use the paper finish, though). I want to keep trying different techniques. So, if I try say 1um, 1um w/ paper, maybe strop with .5 diamond on felt (instead of CrOx on balsa), then canvas, followed by leather strop can I just do that without going back to 3um if my last honing finished on 3um? Hope the question makes sense. I might also try going all the way to 0.3 um as well. Same thing there, If my last finish is at 1um, then shave to test, can I just go straight to 0.3 um on the next hone?
I'm now trying to refine my finishing and using different techniques. I have some 0.5 diamond spray with felt on the way that I'll be incorporating as well. I was consistently finishing with 1um, 1um with paper, CrOx on balsa, then strop. I can get a sharp shave, but not as smooth a shave as I'd like. Last night I started honing with 60 laps at 3um then went straight to canvas and leather strop and had a nice, smooth shave, but not as sharp (forgot to use the paper finish, though). I want to keep trying different techniques. So, if I try say 1um, 1um w/ paper, maybe strop with .5 diamond on felt (instead of CrOx on balsa), then canvas, followed by leather strop can I just do that without going back to 3um if my last honing finished on 3um? Hope the question makes sense. I might also try going all the way to 0.3 um as well. Same thing there, If my last finish is at 1um, then shave to test, can I just go straight to 0.3 um on the next hone?
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I knew i was missing something! Thanks! @jzuzphreek
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I prefer to use the 5u, but many honers skip it and still get excellent results. Do it like you feel it. Its not so importtant.
Exactly. I like to use a full progression but that's only a matter of personal preference.
"Do it like you feel it."
Yup!
You don't need slurry, either....
I did accidentally create "slurry" with lapping film on one occasion.
By honing a razor with a bit of warp to the spine and accidentally scraping some of the abrasive off the plastic. 
Hello,
I am a beginner in honing (I only sharpened kitchen knives before). I have read several pages of this thread and watched the video of Slash McCoy. My result was disappointing. The razor cuts the hair on my arms, but little else. Shaving is uncomfortable. It was the first time I did that. I try to understand my mistake.
I did not quite follow the procedure described by Slash. I made some changes. I replaced the water by lathers. Since I have sheets of 30, 15 and 9 microns, I used it. I have no sheet of 5 microns, so I skipped this step. For the 30 and 15 micron sheets, I used the recommendation for the sheet of 12 micron. With the sheet of 9 micron I used the procedure for the sheet of 5 micron. Without pressure, I used two fingers on the blade to make sure it stays on the honing surface. I think the bevel is ok. I don't have a microscope to see the details. Where I made my mistakes?
The razor is a gold dollar.
Thanks.
I am a beginner in honing (I only sharpened kitchen knives before). I have read several pages of this thread and watched the video of Slash McCoy. My result was disappointing. The razor cuts the hair on my arms, but little else. Shaving is uncomfortable. It was the first time I did that. I try to understand my mistake.
I did not quite follow the procedure described by Slash. I made some changes. I replaced the water by lathers. Since I have sheets of 30, 15 and 9 microns, I used it. I have no sheet of 5 microns, so I skipped this step. For the 30 and 15 micron sheets, I used the recommendation for the sheet of 12 micron. With the sheet of 9 micron I used the procedure for the sheet of 5 micron. Without pressure, I used two fingers on the blade to make sure it stays on the honing surface. I think the bevel is ok. I don't have a microscope to see the details. Where I made my mistakes?
The razor is a gold dollar.
Thanks.
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Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Is it a modified Gold Dollar, or right out of the box?
Did you verify that the bevel was set along the entire edge? Without a good bevel, you simply do not have an edge, no matter how long you rub the razor on whatever you rub it on. The bevel is key. All later stages simply polish out the scratches.
Is 9u the finest film that you used? You aren't going to get a comfortable shave off 9u. You need as a bare minimum to go to 3u, and that is pretty rough. Really, the 1u film is not a bad place to stop but many of us go to .3u.
Off the 12u film the razor should shave arm hair easily along the entire length of the edge. Does it do that?
Make sure each grit of film or stone does its job completely, before moving on to the next. A break in the progression virtually guarantees poor results.
If you know everything is right up through the 9u stage but you did not progress through 5u (optional... you can skip 5u but make sure you catch it good on the 3u) 3u and 1u, and optionally .3u over damp paper. If you did that, and got poor results, I suggest going back to 12u or 15u, raise a burr the full length along both sides in turn, and hone the burr off with normal laps and light pressure, to absolutely ensure that your bevel is set, then do your progression again. If it is a stock GD, make sure it passes the sharpie test. Paint the edge bevel with a sharpie marker. Give it 3 or 4 light laps on the film. Examine under a magnifying glass or loupe. Any ink left at the edge indicates that the edge is not flat on the honing surface.
A dull edge will push water ahead of it. A sharp edge will scoop underneath the water. If it passes the sharpie test and doesn't scoop the water, it aint there yet.
A stock GD is a poor razor to learn to hone with. Try a vintage blade. Larry at www.whippeddog.com sells shave ready vintage razors cheap. Get one, shave with it until it is dull, and hone that. For practice setting the bevel, lightly drag the edge across a beer bottle a couple of times to spoil the edge completely, then set the bevel from scratch. You will catch on a lot quicker if you practice with a decent razor. Try to get a shoulderless one if possible. It is super easy to hone a shoulderless. Otherwise, be sure to lead with the heel of the razor slightly. Don't let the shoulder or stabilizer ride up on the honing surface because this elevates the heel end of the edge, and pushes the toe into the honing medium, eventually grinding a taper into the toe, and neglecting the heel.
Keep trying, and good luck
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