Giving up on lapping film - I need a honemeister

**paco664** · 08-31-2012, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by rickboone1

Don't give up on film. Honing takes time. Takes a lot of practice and trial and error. My bet is you need a lower grit. Not getting enough metal off and not doing enough laps.

[magic translator] you need a 1k hone to set the bevel before going to the films [/magic translator]

**rickboone1** · 08-31-2012, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by paco664

[magic translator] you need a 1k hone to set the bevel before going to the films [/magic translator]

Yes. And to add to that if all you have is 3 and 1 and .1 µm film you're going to have to make darn tootin' certain your bevel is right. It should clean out a patch of arm hair with very little effort before going to that 3 film. Personally, I'd turn your .1 film into coasters unless you use fountain pens. It's good for nibs.

**mongoose** · 08-31-2012, 08:56 PM

If your razor is in the condition that you describe you will need to hone the blade.

The suggestion of using a polishing film as a hone is just ridiculous, you got bad advise.

**jgkeegan** · 09-01-2012, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I'll hone it up for you ON FILMS, the way it was meant to be...

+1 +1 +1

**Kentos** · 09-01-2012, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by mongoose

If your razor is in the condition that you describe you will need to hone the blade.

The suggestion of using a polishing film as a hone is just ridiculous, you got bad advise.

The suitability of lapping films for honing has been proven, Friend. It's not as ridiculous as it seems, although honing on saran wrap does lack Mojoness(TM).

**Slash McCoy** · 09-01-2012, 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by mongoose

If your razor is in the condition that you describe you will need to hone the blade.

The suggestion of using a polishing film as a hone is just ridiculous, you got bad advise.

That's funny... I usually use nothing but film. Sometimes I set the bevel on a 1k king and sometimes on 1k wet/dry but mostly I set the bevel on 12u film and progress through 5u, 3u, and 1u and my edges are better than any I have got from anyone else. Oh and it is not polishing film you want. We use lapping film. FYI there are many of us who use film either alone or in combination with a stone for the rough work. Please don't confuse our newbies with nonsense.

**jgkeegan** · 09-01-2012, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by Slash McCoy

That's funny... I usually use nothing but film. Sometimes I set the bevel on a 1k king and sometimes on 1k wet/dry but mostly I set the bevel on 12u film and progress through 5u, 3u, and 1u and my edges are better than any I have got from anyone else. Oh and it is not polishing film you want. We use lapping film. FYI there are many of us who use film either alone or in combination with a stone for the rough work. Please don't confuse our newbies with nonsense.

Good advice.

**paco664** · 09-01-2012, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by mongoose

If your razor is in the condition that you describe you will need to hone the blade.

The suggestion of using a polishing film as a hone is just ridiculous, you got bad advise.

Sorry but this is bad advice....

I prefer stones but i have lapping film and will use it in occasion... From bevel to polished perfection lapping film works wonderfully....

And i hone a LOT of razors...

**Slash McCoy** · 09-01-2012, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by paco664

Sorry but this is bad advice....

I prefer stones but i have lapping film and will use it in occasion... From bevel to polished perfection lapping film works wonderfully....

And i hone a LOT of razors...

You tell 'em, rock rubber!

**Obiwan** · 09-01-2012, 04:00 AM

I prefer stones as well, but you can't argue that film works great.

**paco664** · 09-01-2012, 04:12 AM

Yeah... If film just had "mojo".....

Lol

**Doc226** · 09-01-2012, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by Kentos

The suitability of lapping films for honing has been proven, Friend. It's not as ridiculous as it seems, although honing on saran wrap does lack Mojoness(TM).

LOL

Originally Posted by Obiwan

I prefer stones as well, but you can't argue that film works great.

It does work and works great, honing on it is sterile, very little if any feedback. The shaves off it are good, very keen, lack a bit of smoothness

Originally Posted by paco664

Yeah... If film just had "mojo".....

Lol

Yea and if my aunt had ***** she would be my uncle-LOL

**SliceOfLife** · 09-01-2012, 08:32 AM

I think the misunderstanding is that Mongoose just didn't realize that there are low grit Films available. No big deal.

**rickboone1** · 09-01-2012, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by SliceOfLife

I think the misunderstanding is that Mongoose just didn't realize that there are low grit Films available. No big deal.

I think the term "polishing" is what's causing confusion. Perhaps Mongoose is thinking of polishing the blade only, not honing or sharpening. Lapping film is often called polishing film by the industries for its intended purposes of something to do with fiber optics.

**JLuger** · 09-01-2012, 05:56 PM

I'm going to ask this here, rather than start another film thread and cover the same ground again:

If I have a razor that was professionally honed, kept up with stropping/balsa etc., but then eventually needs a 'tune-up', can I just go straight to the finer film, no matter what it may have been honed on originally? I have a couple that were shaving great for a long time, and seem to need a little more than just balsa and the linen/leather strop. I ordered a set of films to try honing my dull razors with, but since I am not great at honing was hoping I could fine tune my already honed blades.

**rickboone1** · 09-01-2012, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by JLuger

I'm going to ask this here, rather than start another film thread and cover the same ground again:

If I have a razor that was professionally honed, kept up with stropping/balsa etc., but then eventually needs a 'tune-up', can I just go straight to the finer film, no matter what it may have been honed on originally? I have a couple that were shaving great for a long time, and seem to need a little more than just balsa and the linen/leather strop. I ordered a set of films to try honing my dull razors with, but since I am not great at honing was hoping I could fine tune my already honed blades.

Short answer...yes. Will it work?? Who knows. Sometimes you need to go back and reset the bevel. Other times, you may not. Since you have the films on the way it won't hurt anything to try and bring them back up to par with them.

**Krodor** · 09-01-2012, 06:15 PM

What he said. Easy way: use finest grit for about 60 laps. Is it better? If so, there ya go. Otherwise use next-finest for same number, then finest again. Now is it all good? Repeat stepping back notches and going back through the sequence of grits to finest until...aaahhh yeahhh, that's the good stuff...

Or if you just wanna go for it, start at 12 or 9 micron at the beginning, then walk it through from scratch.

Either way, it's honing for me, which is fun regardless of all the rock/film hoo-hah we goof around with on the forum here. It's all good. Enjoy the experience. It's really cool to challenge yourself and be able to shave with an edge that you put on it. When i see my daughters hair just break off after passing over an edge, I still get the willies about just how sharp these things get. I think it might be even scarier that I then look forward to that next shave rather than be more scared! ;)

**JLuger** · 09-01-2012, 06:29 PM

Great, thanks for the information, very much appreciated.

**rimmini** · 09-01-2012, 07:03 PM

Why were you honing the blade with grit. A 8k-12k stone is all you need unless the blade has a knick. Even then a 1k/6k is all you need to work out the ding. One tape. you don't need it . I can draw an edge on a dull blade. and then hone it to shave. but I use stones exclusively.