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Lapping film, try it.

The little microscope I use, 60X100, is around $8 USD. It gives me a lot more value than that.

If anyone has looked at the scope pictures of DE blades in reviews, particularly Squire's at ShaveMyFace, that is proportionately exactly what I'm seeing at 60.

My edges aren't nearly that pretty. My bevels are about the same width though.
 
Was looking to make a buy from bestsharpeningstones.com. Film would Cost me about 28$ and shipping 30?
Well i know Sweden isnt around the corner, but 30$. That's just mean.
 
Been looking at the film from cousinsuk.com but was uncertain if the jump from 9to 3 micron would be to far, or is it normal progression?
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
When you go from 1k to 4k you are going 4x finer. When you go from 9u to 3u you are only going 3x finer. Not ideal, but still quite do-able.
 
Nice going, Koso! Your example should inspire others.

It would be nice to have some 12u film for bevel setting, but you can use 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper in a pinch. Spray the back with LocTite spray adhesive and carefully apply it to your favorite lapping plate. If you do a good job of keeping it smooth and tight as you apply the paper, you can get pretty decent results.

Enjoy your Red Injun. It is a great razor! Happy shaves!

Slash I tried with 1K and paper and it was not successful. However I got down to 600 sand paper and got the job done.
Now I'm thinking whether to buy a 600DMT (Used) plate.
Will that damage the razor?
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Slash I tried with 1K and paper and it was not successful. However I got down to 600 sand paper and got the job done.
Now I'm thinking whether to buy a 600DMT (Used) plate.
Will that damage the razor?

No it won't damage the razor if the plate is not damaged. Keep in mind that this is a very aggressive hone and will remove a lot of steel in a hurry. Also VERY light pressure works great with diamond hones. The plate lasts longer and they don't need pressure to cut. Coarse stones, films, and papers are your big guns. Use them when you need them, but not when they are not needed, because they put a lot of wear on your blades.
 
I had a shave yesterday with my Whipped Dog 'unseen' razor after three weeks or so of shaving with my own lapping film edges.

The shave was OK, but only OK. I imagine I wrecked that edge pretty good in my first few shave and strop attempts. And I noticed the blade is significantly smaller than what I've developed a taste for.

What I came away with was the realization that I'm not fooling myself. I am getting really good edges with lapping film from the Ebay razors I've been picking up.

I'm also getting the difference between smooth vs. sharp. The journey continues...
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I had a shave yesterday with my Whipped Dog 'unseen' razor after three weeks or so of shaving with my own lapping film edges.

The shave was OK, but only OK. I imagine I wrecked that edge pretty good in my first few shave and strop attempts. And I noticed the blade is significantly smaller than what I've developed a taste for.

What I came away with was the realization that I'm not fooling myself. I am getting really good edges with lapping film from the Ebay razors I've been picking up.

I'm also getting the difference between smooth vs. sharp. The journey continues...

Welcome, new honemeister apprentice. You are ready to become one of us now.

Tonight you will be visited by mysterious chanting men in hooded robes, with candles, an ancient book, and things in a black silk bag that you are better off not knowing about. You will be blindfolded with a sword at your heart and a rope around your neck as you take the sacred oath of honemeistery. Don't be alarmed. It's just a honemeister thing. Then we roll out the keg and bring out the dancing girls and party like they just started stocking lapping film and diamond paste at Walgreens.
 
So now i have recieved my film finally, and thinking that i should try them out.
I have 5 blades that need honing from scratch but i got one that i suspect only need some sort of touching up.
But i have not got a single clue of how i proceed. any tips?
 
Approx recipe for regular razor (need bevel set, no chips). Take plate, water, and...12 micron? film. Back of spine of razor across film once to get rid of bubbles. 60 laps edge leading (there and back = 1 lap). Check it; if it easily cuts armhair at skin level tip to heel, move to next grit, else 30-60 more laps at same grit. Do not move to next grit until this is really true. Don't cheat yourself. Repeat with next lower grit after good rinsing of plate between grits. Then next grit etc until finished with 1 micron. Wet paper, put between plate and 1 micron film. 30-60 laps. At this point you should be able to "treetop" armhair 1/4" off the skin easily. Strop 60 laps felt/leather. Done. Something like that.

I hate to say beauty, but the beauty of lapping film is that even if the recipe isn't quite right, I don't feel too odd saying that it is likely possible to actually *have* a recipe...not possible with rocks, especially natural rocks.
 
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Ok, so now I'm lapping like crazy. After 50 laps on 12 and about 50 on 9 micron it's popping armhair but absolutely no sign of HHT. Am I suppose to return to 12 micron or go forward to 3 or stay at 9?
I got 0,3 m and then plan to take it to Crox on denim befor leather strop. But I don't want to advance to fast.

Edit: got no 1 micron film.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
So now i have recieved my film finally, and thinking that i should try them out.
I have 5 blades that need honing from scratch but i got one that i suspect only need some sort of touching up.
But i have not got a single clue of how i proceed. any tips?

First of all, you need a lapping plate. This must be very rigid, very flat, and very smooth. A thick piece of glass will usually work nicely. It should not be wavy... you should be able to see clearly through it with no distortion. If you wet it and press it down on another flat surface, it should not trap bubbles in the middle. Most modern window glass will be flat enough. A piece from an old glass table top will work.

Another good source for a lapping plate is a sink cutout from a polished granite countertop. These are usually nice and flat. You will need to smooth the cut edges, and give them a small radius. Don't scratch up the surface, though. What I would do is cut off a strip from this piece, about 4" wide, for use with lapping films, and save the larger piece for use with sandpaper, for lapping stones. The smaller piece works better for honing because you can hold it in your left hand while you hold the razor in your right.

There are special granite plates available that are certified to be flat within specified tolerances. These are best but of course they cost money and then there is shipping...

Polished marble floor tiles are another good option. Here in the U.S. we have a chain of home improvement and building supply retailers called Home Depot, and another chain called Lowe's, and they stock marble tile that is flat enough to make good lapping plates, and it is very cheap. If you can find something like that in Sweden then that will work fine. Do not use ceramic tile. It will probably NOT be flat enough. Just because it looks flat doesn't mean it is flat enough. It needs to be REALLY flat. And smooth. A shiny smooth surface will help the wet film to stick solidly to the plate.

Whatever you use, it needs to be at least 3" wide and as long as your film sheets. The tiles I use are 4" x 12" edge tiles. This size is convenient and works well. One of the biggest advantages of film is having a true and flat and consistent honing surface, and another is having a long and wide honing surface. Don't compromise on these qualities by using a sub-optimal lapping plate. Get a good one. Don't try to start honing on film until you have a good lapping plate of some kind.

Okay, now you got your plate. Make sure it is absolutely clean. Make sure your film is, too. Dust and debris and especially hair will create a high spot in the film so it has to be clean. Wet the plate and apply your film shiny side down. Smooth it out, starting from the middle. Get all the bubbles out. The thin film of water between the lapping film and the plate forms a suction that holds the film in place. Sprinkle some water on top of your film and start honing! Lead with the edge, just like honing on a rock.

Start with the razor that only needs a touchup. Apply your 3u film and hone until you have a definite improvement over the entire edge, then give it another 20 laps for good measure. Remember to keep the spine on the film! You must never lift the spine from the honing surface while the edge is touching it. The spine is your bevel guide and your bevel is very critical. At the end of the stroke, to change directions and go the other way, flip the edge outward and over, not the spine. The spine stays on the hone. Use only very light pressure. Heavy pressure deforms the flexible edge. Do not let the shoulder of the blade ride up on the hone. Doing so will lift the heel from the hone so it goesn't get honed, but will press the nose down and so it will wear away unevenly. A straight edge is easier to hone for a newbie. If you edge has a "smiling" curve, you may have to rock the blade from heel to nose slightly, to get good honing coverage. With a wide hone, there is no need for a full x-stroke, but it is still a good idea to pull the blade slightly across the hone, maybe 1/2" or 1/4" as it travels along the hone. Hold your plate loosely in your left hand. Don't let the plate or your hand touch your body or any object. Let it sort of float in your hand. This allows the hone and your razor to find their own best alignment. The more common method of resting the hone on a flat surface is prone to error from a heavy handed beginner. Anyway, stroke the razor nearly to the end of the film. Flip the edge out and over, and stroke the razor back the other way. That is one lap. If you need more than 50 or 60 laps, then maybe you should have started with a coarser film. Certainly no more than 100. It doesn't hurt the razor but it takes more time and wears out the film faster.

After you are satisfied with your 3u edge, remove the 3u film and wash your plate, and apply a piece of 1u film. Hone as before. A 1u edge properly executed is a very good shaving edge. When you are satisfied, remove the film. Apply a piece of damp paper to your plate, taking care to smooth it out good. Apply your 1u film again, right over the damp paper. Hone for another 30 or 40 VERY light laps. This sweetens the edge and gives you a very very comfortable shave.

There are finer films than 1u but they generally should not be used IMHO. .3u film is common but I find that often it gives a very harsh edge. If you feel like you MUST explore the limits of razor sharpness, then skip the wet paper under the 1u film. Apply your paper and then apply the .3u film. Give it 30 laps on the .3u film over wet paper. Your pressure must be very very light, just the weight of the razor at this stage. But in truth if you are not delighted with the edge you get from the 1u film, you are doing something wrong. A 1u edge should be better than the edge from a 12k Naniwa and considerably better than a coticule dilucot edge. That is good, let me tell you. If the edge is so-so, then there is room for improvement.

Your first film edge may not be spectacular, and may not beat a dilucot edge and likely won't beat a 12k Nani edge either, but it should still give a nice shave. By your third or fourth honing session, you should be getting very good edges, not just good enough edges. Anyway, do your touchup job first and let us know how you made out. Then when you definitely have a handle on that part, we can walk you through setting the bevel on the ones that need a full honing.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Well I see Krodor already answered while I was drafting replies. +1 on what he said.

After 3u film you should get HHT2. For HHT3 or better, you have to go with the 1u film and finish with 1u film over wet paper. Then you can try diamond or CrOx paste on a flat piece of balsa, or on a leather bench or paddle strop. If the edge seems harsh because you ignored our advice to not use the .3u, then apply CrOx paste to a hanging strop and give it maybe 30 laps with light pressure, before hitting your regular unpasted leather hanging strop. After all is said and done, HHT4 is achievable. The semi-mythical HHT5 is a possibility once you really got everything dialed in, depending on the razor.
 
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