Lapping film, try it.

**BCN** · 07-24-2012, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by The Mick

This is whee I got mine. They seem to work fine but I'm just learning and couldn't compare them to other brands. They are a bit smaller than some of the others but you get 25 sheets each at 6 x 9. I was happy with there service and quick shipping tho' I'm in the US so...

If i cut one sheet in half, will be something like 9x3.25 which i think is quite confortable to use...

**The Mick** · 07-27-2012, 12:16 PM

I have one near wedge razor that was taped when I sent it out to be honed and when I take it to the films for a touch up with tape the film moves around. I've had a small amount of movement with other razors but nothing like with the taped one. Am I using too much water under the film perhaps? How much do you use? I just get the surface plate wet and put on the films. Should I try just a few drops next time?

**TnutsShave** · 07-27-2012, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by The Mick

I have one near wedge razor that was taped when I sent it out to be honed and when I take it to the films for a touch up with tape the film moves around. I've had a small amount of movement with other razors but nothing like with the taped one. Am I using too much water under the film perhaps? How much do you use? I just get the surface plate wet and put on the films. Should I try just a few drops next time?

Are you doing the squeegee effect when you put the film down? You need to try and squeeze as much of that excess water out from underneath and it will form a seal of sorts. I generally lay the film down on top of the water and push outward from the center with my thumbpad in all directions...has worked well so far.

**The Mick** · 07-27-2012, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by TnutsShave

Are you doing the squeegee effect when you put the film down? You need to try and squeeze as much of that excess water out from underneath and it will form a seal of sorts. I generally lay the film down on top of the water and push outward from the center with my thumbpad in all directions...has worked well so far.

Yes I'm doing the squeegee and getting out the air bubbles. I'm just not sure if it's too much water or if it's because of the tape causing friction.

**TnutsShave** · 07-27-2012, 02:12 PM

If you're doing the squeegee, then the water under the film should be minimal.

The tape can and will definitely do that as it's going to have more friction than the steel.. Try rubbing a little dish soap (hell, any kind of soap) on the water on TOP of the film but beware, EVERYTHING can become slick if it strays from the stone, including the portion of the razor you are holding onto. Things can get interesting if that happens. Don't ask me how I know, I just do.

By the way, what are you putting the film on?

I use a Chinese natural stone that has been lapped and WAS glassy smooth and I had no issues. It needed another lapping (or maybe not, but I wanted to do it anyway). So I hit it with the DMT for a while and got it nice and flat, but the stone felt less smooth than when I started. I had problems with the lapping film sliding around until I hit it with some higher grit sandpapers to "smooth" it out. (Microscopic tracks/scratch from the coarser DMT than retained water even after the squeegee-ing that allowed the film to continue to float? Maybe, I don't know). All I know is that the smoother it is, the better it sticks if you get those air bubbles and excess water out.

**The Mick** · 07-27-2012, 03:18 PM

I'm using a precision ground granite surface plate from Grizzly. I also use a little dish soap in the water I put on top of the film but not the water under it. I think I'll just end up redoing the bevel with out tape but I'm still learning and just getting success with hollow ground razors this smiling wedge will be a big learning curve.

**TnutsShave** · 07-28-2012, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by The Mick

I'm using a precision ground granite surface plate from Grizzly. I also use a little dish soap in the water I put on top of the film but not the water under it. I think I'll just end up redoing the bevel with out tape but I'm still learning and just getting success with hollow ground razors this smiling wedge will be a big learning curve.

Well, I'm with you on that. I had a smiling near wedge that I had a tough time with...I opted for no tape...it removes a lot of metal, but eventually I got it right. I also did the whole progression with 2 pieces of paper under each film. Food for thought.

If it's a full wedge, well, I haven't tried my hand at one of those yet.

**dreaded_rust** · 08-02-2012, 05:10 AM

just picked up some lapping film here. http://www.fiberoptics4sale.com/c/3M_lapping_film.html pretty good prces and real easy checkout

**dreaded_rust** · 08-02-2012, 11:59 AM

nevermind
just got this email:

"Hi Jordan,

Thank you for your order.

Since all the polishing films have to order multiples of 25 sheets.

Please advise how to process.

Also if you accept the MOQ of 25 for each item, please let me know whether you can accept the shipping fee for $12 ship via USPS TO APO address.

If you have any quesitons, please let me know.

Thank you."

**Tkocloser** · 10-08-2012, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Doc226

That there is what its all about, that silly grin on your face when you shave of YOUR own edges.

I would echo Slash's comments about the number of laps, I don't count them. I took for the water being undercut down the entire edge and feel for the that sticking feeling.

Bravo, Bravo.

I resharpened my four straights using the 3 micron and the 1 micron (second use with both pieces of lapping film.) I didn't count laps and focused on the feel of the laps. As the blades started to feel suction-ey, almost sticky, and I had to respray water on the lapping film, that was my sign to set that razor down and pick up the next. I shaved with the TI (my one "pretty" razor) and it was pretty danged sharp last night. It had gotten so dull that I hadn't used it for at least a month. I cannot wait to try my newly resharpened Whipped Dogs! Next time, I will not wait this long to resharpen.

I was dreading having to do this, for some reason, but it actually is very calming to turn on the jams and focus on the razors. Then a light drying and back into the silicone razor sleeves from Jared. For good measure, I rubbed some neatsfoot oil into my Big Daddy strop and also the rams riven horn handle of my TI.

**Axebreaker** · 10-08-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by dreaded_rust

nevermind
just got this email:

"Hi Jordan,

Thank you for your order.

Since all the polishing films have to order multiples of 25 sheets.

Please advise how to process.

Also if you accept the MOQ of 25 for each item, please let me know whether you can accept the shipping fee for $12 ship via USPS TO APO address.

If you have any quesitons, please let me know.

Thank you."

Yeah, I did some single sheet orders from them, they may have upped their minimum from the annoyance.

**Chico** · 10-11-2012, 09:11 AM

Sorry for the bump. In awaiting of receiving lapping film from Rick, I found a dutch shop who sells it also. I ordered the 3 and 1 micron. 3 micron is pink, correct? I also received blue sheets. Shouldn't the 1 micron not be light green? I can't see a trademark of 3m on it, so I can not check if it is 3M. Ordering it, it just said: lapping film (Polijst papier in Dutch)

**Doc226** · 10-11-2012, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Chico

Sorry for the bump. In awaiting of receiving lapping film from Rick, I found a dutch shop who sells it also. I ordered the 3 and 1 micron. 3 micron is pink, correct? I also received blue sheets. Shouldn't the 1 micron not be light green? I can't see a trademark of 3m on it, so I can not check if it is 3M. Ordering it, it just said: lapping film (Polijst papier in Dutch)

The one I have the 3 micron is purplish, the 1 micron is green.

**Chico** · 10-11-2012, 09:47 AM

Hmm..so it could be that color is not always the indication

**Chico** · 10-11-2012, 11:53 AM

Well, I tried it out. First 60 laps with the 3 micron, then 60 with the blue one. 60 laps on the strop...shaved.....face feels like leather and no decent shave. Stil tugging ATG also.What shall I do? Redo with the 3 micronfor 60 laps and then await the shipment from Rick and go along with the 1 micron? (Was looking at a set of naniwa 5k and 8k...)

**hitemfrank** · 10-11-2012, 03:52 PM

Maybe see what it shaves like off the 3 micron. See if it's better or worse than the blue sheets.

The blue sheets I have are 9 micron I think so I'm wondering if that's what you have. Although saying that, the 1 micron sheets I have are between white and pink.

**Slash McCoy** · 10-11-2012, 04:57 PM

Blue is usually 12u. Definitely not a finisher! .3u is white. 1u is pretty much always green. 3u is violet though some might call it pink. 5u is yellow but sometimes tan or brown. 12u is blue. Colors are more or less standardized for the most common grits, like resistor color codes.