Honing on a Budget (using lapping films)

rbscebu

rbscebu

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2020
Location
Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia
Slowly but surely we are starting to see a few more wet shavers getting into the gentlemanly art of SR shaving. They are hopefully starting off with a SR that is truly shave-ready and a clean leather strop. With good technique in both shaving and stropping, they should be able to get a few months of daily SR shaves in before their beloved SR requires a re-honing. This re-honing (called a refresh) can be performed by a honemeister for about AU$30 to AU$40 plus postage both ways or can be performed by the owner (with instructions).

Over the next week or so, I will be starting a thread giving Honing Instructions for Beginners on a Budget using lapping films. The skills you develop in honing with lapping films will not be wasted. The will hold you in good stead if you ever wish to (but you don't have to) get into honing with whetstones.

First you will need to get your gear together. This involves buying some lapping films and putting together a lapping film substrate. A set of lapping films can be purchased on AliExpress for about AU$25 including shipping. A set consists of seven A4 size sheets, one each of 30μm, 12μm, 9μm, 5μm, 3μm, 1μm and 0.3μm. Each sheet will be cut into 3 pieces giving you 21 pieces in total.

Instructions on the gear required can be found here:

Instructions SR Shaving Beginners Rev H.pdf

drive.google.com drive.google.com

By the time you get your gear all together, I should have the instructions published.
 
Hi, I've re-read the SR Shaving Beginner instructions, especially Ch 9=Refreshing the Edge, but still (sorry) can't locate any real reference to Lapping Film!!
Cheers
 
@rbscebu, ahh that makes "easier" reading/understanding :), 1 quick question, I made your pasted balsa strops with 15mm Balsa and a 6mm Glass base and I have one spare, would/could I (invert) and use this glass as the film substrate and a non slip liner glued under the balsa?
Thanks for your time
Les
 
You could but your balsa would get wet as the lapping films are used with water.

You balsa at 15mm is also rather thick. This will make it more susceptible to getting out-of-flat due to changes in the air moisture content. That is why an absolute 10mm is recommended. 8mm thick balsa should last you about 20 to 40 years, even with a lot of use.

Your glass substrate is also very heavy. This will be disadvantage when using the balsa strop hanging and you may find it rather tiring holding/using the balsa strop in-hand. Using it in-hand is a must.

Perhaps you didn't read the FAQ in the instructions.
 
rbscebu said:
You could but your balsa would get wet as the lapping films are used with water.

You balsa at 15mm is also rather thick. This will make it more susceptible to getting out-of-flat due to changes in the air moisture content. That is why an absolute 10mm is recommended. 8mm thick balsa should last you about 20 to 40 years, even with a lot of use.

Your glass substrate is also very heavy. This will be disadvantage when using the balsa strop hanging and you may find it rather tiring holding/using the balsa strop in-hand. Using it in-hand is a must.

Perhaps you didn't read the FAQ in the instructions.
Click to expand...
Hi, yes I read the instructions 1/2'' = (12.5mm) balsa closest was 15mm or 8mm from my local hobby shop, "heavy piece of glass", glazier recommended 6mm, so I went with these, I find with Dupuytrens in my left hand, that this is far easier to hold than had I gone any thinner. I enjoy reading all your posts and am learning so much
Cheers
LesC
 
@LesC, when sanding the balsa stropping surface flat, sand it down to under 10mm thick. That should solve the over-thickness problem.

I now understand the glass thickness that you have. 6mm thick is just as good as using a 6mm thick ceramic tile. It should work well although may break easier if dropped.

I also am afflicted with Dupuytrens Contracture. Fortunately not yet so bad as to prevent me from doing everything I need to do. I am booked in for surgery to correct the problem.

Your composite balsa strop should consist of (from top to bottom):

6mm to 10mm thick balsa (top)
5mm to 6mm thick ceramic or glass
Light timber to bring the total thickness up to about 25mm to 35mm (bottom)

Hope all works out well for you.
 
@rbscebu one quick Q please, why is non PSA used over PSA backed, for my interest and possibly others to?
I've ordered the set that you show you use on B&B x Aliexpress
Cheers
LesC
 
LesC said:
@rbscebu one quick Q please, why is non PSA used over PSA backed, for my interest and possibly others to?
I've ordered the set that you show you use on B&B x Aliexpress
Cheers
LesC
Click to expand...
Two reasons. You normally only use one substrate and 5 or 6 different pieces of lapping film, changing to a different grade of lapping film every few minutes. PSA backing makes this much more difficult, unless you have 6 different substrates. The other reason is that it is far to easy to get foreign particles stuck between the film and the substrate. Even a piece of dust under the lapping film can be detrimental to an edge.
 
Full instructions have now been published and can be found here:

Budget Honing - Lapping Films Rev A

It took a while but I have at last put together detailed instructions on honing with lapping films. Honing with lapping films is probably the most economical way to hone a SR. It's not rocket science and even a slow learner like myself can do it. These instructions take you from bevel...
paste-and-cut.com.au
 
I have lapping film and a GD 208 on the way as a test dummy but I’ve got a question regarding the edge leading vs spine leading strokes.
The instructions say:
“Unless otherwise stated, all laps (standard laps) must be performed just like you strop a blade, except performed edge-leading.”

But it seems setting the bevel and refining the bevel are the exception and is done spine-leading. Then the refining the edge and finishing the edge are done edge-leading.

I’m guessing the reason for this must be to prevent the formation of a wire edge or some such???
Can anyone clarify here?
Thanks 🙏
 
Here it what I do.

1. If the original bevel is multifaceted (not uncommon on factory edges), I use 30μm film to remove the multifacets such that the blade is getting honed all the way to the edge. Your direction of honing in this part does not really matter as you are just trying to remove unwanted metal from the bevel.

2. With a (now) single faceted bevel, I move on to the 12μm film to set the bevel. Here I would hone spine leading (edge trailing) as I am working to form slight burrs along most of the edge.

3. Now onto the 9μm to finally set the bevel. Here again I would use spine leading until I was getting a burrs on the full length of the edge. Once that is achieved, I go to edge leading (spine trailing) with some short pull strokes to remove any fin-edge that may have developed. I continue this until I am happy with my bevel-set. You should be able to shave with reasonable comfort WTG using a bevel-set only edge.

4. Edge refinement is then done on 5μm, 3μm and 1μm. This is all done edge leading with intermittent short pull strokes to remove any fin-edge that may develop. Once finished, you should have an edge that will shave comfortably in all directions (except possibly for the fool's pass).

You may then go on to diamond pasted balsa where all laps are spine leading (edge trailing). Just remember that you need to have a good shaving edge before you move onto diamond pasted balsa.
 
Thanks Richard,
I’m thinking I might look into a dedicated 1K or 1/6 stone for the bevel setting part. Would you have any preference for something like the King 1K, King 1/6 K, Naniwa Traditional, Chosera, Shapton?
Or, is it a case of 1K is more or less 1K and the main difference is price and quality?
 
Don't waste your money on fancy whetstones for course work. If you have many razors to hone, like I do, just get a cheap Chinese 400/1k synthetic whetstone. I have one and use it exclusively for heavy metal removal and initial bevel-setting.

Here is one for under AU$20 including shipping:
www.ebay.com.au

1000/6000 240/800 400/1000 Dual Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone Grit Sharpener | eBay

Things can do: Our professional grade knife sharpener stone is highly durable & long lasting. This whetstone sharpener can sharp most blades out there, from kitchen knives, Hunting Knife, Pocket Knife, to Scissor, Chisel, Blade sharpener, Razor or even an axe!
www.ebay.com.au
 
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