Lapping film, try it.

[Slash McCoy]

I watched the videos but I didnt know acrylic and the floating was necessary. Figured like I see the stones being used would be fine. My sheets are 3M, color/micron/grit

Yellow, 12, 1200
Blue, 9, 1800
Brown, 5, 4000
Pink, 3, 8000
Green, 1, 14000
White, .3, 50000

Forget about the .3u film. You will not enjoy shaving with that edge even if you can make it work. Nobody uses that. Not many, anyhow.

You may want a coarser grit for setting the bevel. 30u works pretty good. Make sure it is LAPPING FILM, not polishing film or micropolishing film or polishing paper or polishing film or any other deceptive nomenclature that actually means "don't try to use this for your razors, but please, by all means, buy it from me". 12u will set a bevel but it is slooooooow. Read this thread, again, beginning to end. Trial and error over the years have built up the knowledge base and caused best methods to change somewhat.

When you are first starting out, NO detail is unimportant. There are a bagigazillion ways to do this wrong. Odds are against you finding the handfull of ways that will do this almost as good as The Method. So stick with The Method until you have several good edges under your belt or you will just be chasing, never catching, that elusive Method edge while other guys come in and get a killer edge their first or second time at bat.

 

[rbscebu]

You are correct in that using lapping film (and after, pasted balsa strops) is probably the most economical way to hone a SR edge.

Almost ALL your questions on using lapping film are covered in this topic. Read it from start to finish. It is a long read. Take detailed notes as you read. The method is refined and improved upon during the topic so amend your notes as you go. Once that is done, then you can start using your lapping film and learning.

I also use a shavette occasionally, particularly when traveling. The shaving technique with a shavette is similar but different from using a straight razor. The main difference is that shavettes require a shallower blade angle. There are also other differences that are best leant by yourself as every person is different.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Thank you for your posts and findings they are very informative. I have been using a shavette for 8 years. I purchased this razor presuming it would be shave ready. I found your method from your post on a search for alternatives to stones. I didnt wany to shell out another 100 bucks for something i may hate and rather pay to have done. Is the technique from shavette to traditional different? I figure it feels different because of weight?

The main difference is that MOST straight razor edges will not have quite as much cutting power as a DE blade in a shavette. However, a full blown Method edge should equal the average DE blade in sharpness, and when you really and truly nail it, it can even match a Feather. So, generally with most straight razor edges you just have to work at it a little harder to get a good shave. The razor won't do it for you the way a shavette does. A shavette shaves best with the spine nearly dragging on the face. With most straight razor edges you want a gap between spine and skin equal to the thickness of the spine, more or less. Weight shmeight. Doesn't matter. It just feels like it should. If you can shave with a shavette, you can shave with a straight. It will just take a few shaves to figure it all out. No biggie. You won't bleed out on the way to the emergency room LOL.

You are in luck. A good finishing stone costs about $100 and then you have to buy the full progression, too. With film, all you need is your acrylic plate, and some lapping film. WAY less than $100. If you want to up your game later on you will need a 36" length of 3" x 1/4" balsa, some diamond paste in .5u, .25u, and .1u grit, and three more acrylic plates. All optional, and still under $100 by a good ways. The balsa is optional, and you shouldn't even bother with it until you are getting a good edge off the film. The balsa will do NO GOOD WHATSOEVER if your 12k/1u film or stone edge doesn't shave well. For that matter, the 1u film will do NO GOOD if you don't first max out the 3u. The 3u will do NO GOOD if you don't first max out the 9u. The 9u film will do NO GOOD if you don't start with a good bevel that is set from end to end and proven to be set from end to end. You can't just guess, you can't just say hey, it should be good by now, and you can't even look at it and be the judge since you have never yet seen a set bevel on a straight razor. So the only thing you need for now that you don't already have is a proper plate for your film, and some coarser film or an appropriate grade of sandpaper or a good quality 1k stone and something to lap it on, for setting your bevel. That's it.

Never assume a razor will be shipped to you in shave ready condition even if the seller insists that it is. Most online sellers don't have a clue. Most don't shave with a straight razor so they cannot possibly know. Some don't shave their faces at all, due to being members of the female persuasion. If you can't find someone on this forum to vouch for a seller, then his (or her!) shave ready edge is just "internet shave ready", not actually shave ready as in ready to shave with. Same precaution goes for having someone hone your razor. Never let someone who does not shave with a straight razor hone yours. They can't possibly have a clue. A knife sharpener not a razor honemeister can be.

 

[dullest]

Alright, so I went for it. 9, 5, 3, 1 I skipped the .3 and I really should have a 12. I stropped on leather, I dont own linen or canvas. This was my first time sharpening anything. I dropped the razor a couple days ago while disinfecting and I got a tiny chip on the toe, I ignored this and just tried to sharpen. I did enough laps I took it down enough with the 9 that it's really barely noticable now. A 12 would have fixed it quicke, I assume. I have no idea if the burr was set, I just did hair tests along the way, around 70 laps at first and 10-20 less per step. I managed to line my beard perfectly and I didn't even use soap. No pain no pull. I used it when I first disinfected and it was like using a tweezer rather than a razor. I think it's a win. Thoughts or suggestions?

Edit: hairs popped louder on 9 and 5, 3 not so much and 1 I didnt hear them but it cut lots of hairs from my thigh.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Alright, so I went for it. 9, 5, 3, 1 I skipped the .3 and I really should have a 12. I stropped on leather, I dont own linen or canvas. This was my first time sharpening anything. I dropped the razor a couple days ago while disinfecting and I got a tiny chip on the toe, I ignored this and just tried to sharpen. I did enough laps I took it down enough with the 9 that it's really barely noticable now. A 12 would have fixed it quicke, I assume. I have no idea if the burr was set, I just did hair tests along the way, around 70 laps at first and 10-20 less per step. I managed to line my beard perfectly and I didn't even use soap. No pain no pull. I used it when I first disinfected and it was like using a tweezer rather than a razor. I think it's a win. Thoughts or suggestions?

Edit: hairs popped louder on 9 and 5, 3 not so much and 1 I didnt hear them but it cut lots of hairs from my thigh.

Cutting hairs at skin level is good. For a pocketknife, anyway. For a razor, the standard is cutting hairs at a level considerably above the skin. Preferably 1/4" above the skin. 1/8" above the skin as a bare minimum. Lining your beard does not make great demands on an edge. Your pocketknife should be up to the task. It is when you shave a large area of your face that a poor edge will show it's worth. Or lack thereof.

Nevertheless that was a good first effort and you did get some use out of a previously unusable razor. Congratulations!

Absolutely ensuring that the bevel is properly set is ESSENTIAL. You cannot just guess, if you want a truly shave ready edge. More than likely you managed to get a good bevel, if you honed out a chip, or nearly did. A chip is not always noticeable in the shave.

I would urge you to fully read all of the threads linked from within the Newbie Honing Compendium sticky, from beginning to end, and follow it perfectly in every slightest detail, if you hope to get a true Method edge without first gaining considerable experience and spending a good deal of money.

When you first shave with a Method edge, your eyes will be opened like Paul's on the road to Damascus.

 

[Sukeroku]

Slight tangent but relevant to film lapping and creating a bevel I believe. I finally got my 10X Belamo loupe the other day (to tell you the truth I am wondering if I should have gotten something with greater magnification, but I digress). I wanted to check the bevel on my two main razors before proceeding with film lapping. My Ralf Aust had a significantly wider bevel/edge than my Tanifuji Max-fli. In fact, the bevel/edge area was more than double in width. Is this normal? I ordered Ralf Aust shave-ready direct from his website and the Tanifuji was honed in Tokyo by a reputable honemeister. Both of them are pretty sharp (but not quite lopping off hairs at 1/8"...yet).

 

[Slash McCoy]

The honer has no control over the width of the edge bevel surface. It is dependant on the geometry of the razor. So no biggsky. BUT, at least in theory a very narrow bevel surface allows greater cutting power due to more shoulder relief.

10x is fine for just examining the bevel overall. Lower magnification gives wider field of view. Very high magnification is useful for looking at the apex and at fine scratch patterns. Extremely high magnification gives you a narrow field of view and a shallow depth of focus, making overall viewing more difficult. We often use 100x on up for comparing the polish of the bevel and the straightness of the apex. I have done shots at 2000x and it is only marginally useful/practical, mostly just something cool. If you get a cheap 100x USB microscope, that is the highest you would ever really need, and your 10x loupe is generally all you need when honing. I often use a large 4x magnifying glass and a very bright light. More often I use nothing at all except a good light source and my nekkid eye.

 

[macintoshBR]

The bevel width is given by the razor's geometry, which in turn is given by the quality of the grinding. Generally speaking, the smaller the bevel the better the grinding quality and the faster you can sharpen the razor. Shave-wise, there is no difference. Don't worry about it.

I agree the Belomo 10X is good enough for straight razor honing purposes. It has higher quality optics than many other 20-30-40-50X Chinese loupes.

 

[Biglo13]

i got a 10x belomo and if i had to do it again i would get a 15x. i then purchased a carson hand held microscope 20-60x, and a 60-120x both have built in light sources, took me a week until i figured out technique to secure razor, base, scope, and able to focus...... wish i would have bought these sooner, the cheap import loupes are pretty worthless.

 

[Sukeroku]

Which Carson would you recommend?

 

[Biglo13]

Which Carson would you recommend?

i use 20-60x 95%. but for about $16 US getting both doesn't hurt.

 

[Sukeroku]

I ended up getting the Carson 60-120x...it was the only one available on Amazon Japan that was in stock in country.

 

[seldomseenkid]

Hello there, all.

I just wanted to drop in and offer my thanks for the wealth of information in this thread. Put an astounding edge on two razors using this method. Getting some of the best shaves of my life.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Hello there, all.

I just wanted to drop in and offer my thanks for the wealth of information in this thread. Put an astounding edge on two razors using this method. Getting some of the best shaves of my life.

You think? Wait till you discover the pasted balsa thread!

 

[seldomseenkid]

That’s my next step, friend.
Seriously though, my wife bought me a straight razor several years back as a gift. It was definitely sharp at the time but didn’t seem to hold its edge (I suspect the bevel was not set properly), fast forward a bit and after some time using disposables and sporting a beard I finally decided it was time to return to straight razor shaving. I picked up a cheap vintage blade of ebay to practice on so I wouldn’t ruin the blade on the one my wife bought me ( I’m not sure it’s really a great razor but sentimental value and all that), and having followed this thread to the best of my ability I’m getting such amazing shaves off both blades. I have super sensitive skin and since I went back to straights about 90% of the underlying redness has disappeared and my skin is getting that healthy glow back.
Truly great stuff.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Cool. Tell us about the razors. Pics? We like pics.

Your edges will get better than what you got, believe it or not. Its a big happy delirious rabitt hole. The fact that you have on your own with no coaching taught yourself to create a good film edge is a good sign.

 

[seldomseenkid]

Here’s a quick shot of both of them. I think I can actually get a better edge on my first one, the unmarked one, as it’s sharp but not quite as sharp as I would like. Just need to find the time for it.

 

[macintoshBR]

Quick refreshing session this morning, I did 4 razors on 1 micron (40 laps plus 30 laps with picopaper) using my new piece of acrylic.

I thought I would record a quick demo, so here you go

https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=WuCedA5P5bg

 

[Slash McCoy]

Quick refreshing session this morning, I did 4 razors on 1 micron (40 laps plus 30 laps with picopaper) using my new piece of acrylic.

I thought I would record a quick demo, so here you go

https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=WuCedA5P5bg

Sweet. I see you are honing in hand. If I may offer some nosy busybody criticism, I would say flipping the edge up and over instead of the spine is much better, and you really only need about the last 10 laps on picopaper. But you got it and you are working with the right stuff. How are you liking your edge so far?

 

[macintoshBR]

Sweet. I see you are honing in hand. If I may offer some nosy busybody criticism, I would say flipping the edge up and over instead of the spine is much better, and you really only need about the last 10 laps on picopaper. But you got it and you are working with the right stuff. How are you liking your edge so far?

I’ve been experimenting with different grips and strokes and really got a good pace like this. When I flip the edge up I have some trouble with my return stroke, and also get slower. I guess it’s a matter of motor skills and practice. The way shown in the video is fairly new to me, but I was happy with the consistency and speed I was able to achieve. It was also my first time using acrylic and hand honing with film, I think it was pretty decent. Before that I was using a bench marble tile, but the hand honing is easier to keep the pressure light while being consistent and relatively fast. Also easy to clean up the hone between different grits (not the case of today’s session)

about my edges... since I discovered lapping film over a year ago I’ve been getting the best shaves of my life. I don’t think it can get much better than this. HHTs are amazing, shaves are smooth and the edges are sharp and long lasting. I showed a HTT to my wife and even she was impressed, hehe

I’m looking forward to trying balsa with diamond pastes, but I certainly could live with my current edges without a problem.

Yesterday I did a full honing from bevel correction with 12u through 1u on my new razor that was lacking sharpness from the factory the same way you see in the video and today’s shave was remarkable.
One of the things I like the most is to strop a freshly honed razor. The way the edge sounds is just beautiful