Micro Mesh

[cotedupy]

I got a set of Micro Mesh sheets the other day, which I see various people here use and like. TBH they seem pretty self explanatory, but just thought I'd ask if anybody had any particular tips to get the best out of them on metal, horn and wood.? My inclination would be to use with water on metal and dry for the other two? Also - how much longer is this stuff going to last than sandpaper?

I think they look a bit like a Thuri colour chart, which is fun.

 

[RayClem]

The micromesh sanding sheets are primarily produced for doing car body restoration work. Some are available in grits as fine as P5000. However, they would also work for restoring razors. If they are designed to work wet or dry, you can use water to keep them from loading up..

 

[cotedupy]

The micromesh sanding sheets are primarily produced for doing car body restoration work. Some are available in grits as fine as P5000. However, they would also work for restoring razors. If they are designed to work wet or dry, you can use water to keep them from loading up..

Oh I didn’t know that about the original purpose. The set I have go from 1500 to 12,000. Which they describe as being the equivalent of 400 grit sandpaper up to a mirror polish with scratches invisible to the eye...

 

[RayClem]

You may have what is called lapping film if it goes to the 12000 grit level. However, I thought that was usually on plastic film rather than cloth or waterproof paper.

 

[Doc226]

Not needed for horn, I only take horn to 400 or sometimes 600, you can do more but it’s not necessary

For metal, 1500 is best then polish.

 

[Tomo]

I use this stuff for polishing fountain pen nibs.

 

[Legion]

I use this stuff for polishing fountain pen nibs.

I've seen footage of the guys in the fancy FP factories doodling and signing their name over and over on the fine stuff to smooth and tune the nibs.

 

[cotedupy]

Not needed for horn, I only take horn to 400 or sometimes 600, you can do more but it’s not necessary

For metal, 1500 is best then polish.

That's very impressive off the buffing wheel isn't it. Nice!

Though the reason I got these was that I need to be able to it by hand against a hard, flat surface, to maintain quite crisp and precise chamfers and taper and also do the rounding bits at the end (the second pic is actually ebony rather than horn so I haven't taken it as high, but you get the idea):

 

[cotedupy]

You may have what is called lapping film if it goes to the 12000 grit level. However, I thought that was usually on plastic film rather than cloth or waterproof paper.

I've never used lapping film, so I don't know exactly what it is or feels like, but I think this is different. This is what I got:

Micro Mesh Abrasive Sheets 150 x 75mm - Mixed Grade

Micro-Mesh Abrasive and Polishing Cloth, The finest quality smoothing and polishing material. Micro-Mesh is excellent for intermediate sanding of varnishes and fine finishing work on wood, plastic, plexiglass, as well as metal surfaces, including polishing, especially on irregular and curved...

www.tyzacktools.com

 

[Bevel]

I've used Micro-mesh for years but I'm not familiar with the ones you bought which, as Ray said, is more for car paint.
The real stuff tends to be double sided on foam and goes 1500 - 12k as per pic below. These are the larger rectangles but you can get it in smaller squares too. (The larger ones are large enough that it can make it difficult or awkward to hold)
I tend to use it on scales as I like to do things all by hand unless I get impatient or don't particularly care about something when I'll sometimes use a buffer.
They can be used wet or dry and I've seen the smaller square ones used in polishing brush handles while they spin on a lathe and used wet where they're in a tray or water awaiting their turn. Video below.
Perhaps for your intended use, crisp edges, the ones you have might be better, assuming it's not knockoff stuff, as with the foam backed ones a sharp transition might be more difficult.
On your other question it seems to last much longer than regular sandpaper and this is the same pack I got years ago. Bare in mind though I don't tend to use it anymore on metal as I have W/D that goes to 3k and I don't believe you need higher than that on metal. I use metal polish after 3k if it's needed at all. If, as you say, you intend using it on metal I don't believe the foam backed pads would be a problem as anything above 1500 is polishing and shouldn't alter a crisp transition.
On wood, bone, horn or finishes like superglue it's great and you can't go higher grit without rouge or some type of polish.
Lapping film is totally different and not the stuff you got. Think of camera film, maybe twice as thick, covered in abrasive that you can't really see (various grits of Aluminum Oxide) and rely on colour to tell the difference. You can tell lower grits by rubbing it with a finger but you know what I mean. Pic below.

Lapping film


If you go to 5:55 in the video below you can see the smaller square pads in action

 

[cotedupy]

I've used Micro-mesh for years but I'm not familiar with the ones you bought which, as Ray said, is more for car paint.
The real stuff tends to be double sided on foam and goes 1500 - 12k as per pic below. These are the larger rectangles but you can get it in smaller squares too. (The larger ones are large enough that it can make it difficult or awkward to hold)
I tend to use it on scales as I like to do things all by hand unless I get impatient or don't particularly care about something when I'll sometimes use a buffer.
They can be used wet or dry and I've seen the smaller square ones used in polishing brush handles while they spin on a lathe and used wet where they're in a tray or water awaiting their turn. Video below.
Perhaps for your intended use, crisp edges, the ones you have might be better, assuming it's not knockoff stuff, as with the foam backed ones a sharp transition might be more difficult.
On your other question it seems to last much longer than regular sandpaper and this is the same pack I got years ago. Bare in mind though I don't tend to use it anymore on metal as I have W/D that goes to 3k and I don't believe you need higher than that on metal. I use metal polish after 3k if it's needed at all. If, as you say, you intend using it on metal I don't believe the foam backed pads would be a problem as anything above 1500 is polishing and shouldn't alter a crisp transition.
On wood, bone, horn or finishes like superglue it's great and you can't go higher grit without rouge or some type of polish.
Lapping film is totally different and not the stuff you got. Think of camera film, maybe twice as thick, covered in abrasive that you can't really see (various grits of Aluminum Oxide) and rely on colour to tell the difference. You can tell lower grits by rubbing it with a finger but you know what I mean. Pic below.

View attachment 1516167
Lapping film
View attachment 1516175

If you go to 5:55 in the video below you can see the smaller square pads in action

Cheers!

The place I got did also have the little coloured pads, but yep - it was the ability to have them flat on a hard surface that I needed, so I think these sheets will do the job. The official producer does appear to have these grey coloured ones on their website too, so hopefully I haven't got a cheap knockoff and they've just changed the colour scheme or something.

Micro-Mesh® Sheet Variety Packs - Micro Surface

ULTRA-FLEXIBLE CLOTH BACKING CUSHIONED RE-USEABLE LONG LASTING Assortmant Packs, 1 sheet each grade, per individual Micro-Mesh® Type: Micro-Mesh® Regular, 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000 – 9 sheets total, 1 per grade. Primary Use: Softer wood, plastics, paint Micro-Mesh®...

micro-surface.com

Haven't played around too much yet, but looking forward to seeing what they can do when I want to get something really shiny... .

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

I have a set of the micro mesh foam pads but have never felt the need to use them.

From 1 or 2k you can easily jump to any good metal polish, I use Mothers and Maas if I am not using a buffer. Metal polish can give a good hand finish with blue paper shop towel and a cork backer, polish with unbleached paper towel.

Unbleached towels are a bit more abrasive and give a high shin, rolls and napkins are available from restaurant supply, inexpensively, or any fast food joint.