New with a twist

[global_dev]

have dmt diamond stones that range from bumpy concrete all the way up to 8k. I also have some naniwa stones ranging from 1k-12k.

sounds like you dint need to buy anything more from stones to razors right now.

My noob thoughts are that if I assume my DMT stone is flat (I have not checked it) and I have a good bevel on one side but no contact in the middle of the other the spine or the edge on that side is not planar. I suppose the next step is to put it on a flat plate and test it with a thin feeler (or shim)? Or should I measure the spine thickness? I don't have a micrometer (only some calipers) but I might be able to borrow a reasonable one for an afternoon.

sounds like it may be warped. Id focus on the ZY and get that thing shaving well. Its a known commodity as is the sheffield. The crystal maybe ok ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ could be an RSO, someone else might know better. Might be made in the next neighboring factory to the zy.

try going horizontally with the marker instead of vertical, doesnt make a difference other than time and coverage. I wouldnt measure anything yet. Thats not a huge deal for this.

i would assume the dmts are more or less flat enough. Are they the 8x3 or 6x2ish? Assuming the zys are similar to the better gold dollars, You should be able to get the bevel set on ~1Ks dmt or synth (check flatness on the synths using the pencil grid lapping on a 600ish dmt).

i have tried the burr method, it works but if you feel it isnt working for you

work each side evenly, laps, circles, back and forth and keep checking the edge often using one of the tests. There should be a bit of pressure on that zy... not a ton but enough. the chinese blades may have some more grind issue than the vintage English blade you have.

once you get that edge set, jump to 3k-5k. not so much pressure and try to feel the transition. Probably around 25 laps depending on your pressure, stone and razor. Then 8k same deal maybe 15 laps, the 12k 10 easy laps. But definitely dont move on from bevel until its 100% set.

As you learn you may want to very very gently apply pressure equally along the spine until you get the feel for what you are doing at each portion of the edge and you experiment with different technique.

Use the marker a lot. Its not a crutch, its a tool.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Regarding the Krystal, it has the look of an RSO. Is it made in Pakistan, by chance?

The huge bevel angle of the ZY will deliver up a very so-so shave. All things being equal, you will put the better edge on a GD. It WILL SHAVE, though, if you do your part. Of the three, your vintage razor definitely has the most potential.

 

[ruckin]

Thank you for the feedback. I actually have two goals with these razors.

I would like to keep using the vintage but I now know that I will need to get some film and likely a pasted balsa strop. I hope that my leather strop will keep it going until 2021 and I have high confidence that I will then learn how to maintain a mostly shave ready edge.

The other two razors were kind of a project and I wanted to see if I could take a razor and set a bevel and get it all the way from butter knife (the zy started out at sharp butter knife) up to shave ready. Since I had the tools on hand I figured that I would start with the bevel setting. I really have not given the zy a fair chance. I think it has less than 25 laps up/down the dmt 1200. I started with the krystal because that is what I grabbed out of the box first. It seems that might have been a poor choice

It sounds like neither of new razors is ideal and while I would love to find vintage razors at gold dollar prices... I never seem to run across the diamond in the rough screaming deal. To be fair I don't spend much time looking at the places they might show up (auctions, antique stores, garage sales, etc).

After I get the film and stropping figured out I might want to grab a handful of GDs that I can experiment with going from zero to shave ready. I also might want to some bits from the wood shop and learn how to put on some different scales but that sounds like a whole different rabbit hole to go down

 

[ruckin]

Not sure if I should post here or in the "I learned something from my shave" thread. I set the Krystal aside and decided to pull out the ZY. I marked the edge with sharpie again this time going along the edge rather than perpendicular. I did a couple strokes on the DMT 1200 and looked at it though my loupe with a bright light. I took this as a sign that I was moving in the correct direction. I did 40-50 laps with the 1200 and was able to get some tugging and ringing noises if I ran it about 1/4 above my arm. I lost count of how many I did on the DMT 4000 but every 20 laps I looked at it in the loupe and kept going until the scratches were different.

I should have mentioned I found a small bottle (8oz) and put in two drops of dish soap and filled the rest with water and was using this on the stones.

I then used my 8k Naniwa and began to notice the suction. So I re-wet the stone and did some more laps. I then repeated the process with my Naniwa 12k. In the end I was able to go 1/4 above the arm and it would tug, make ringing noises, and remove some hair.

In preparation for shaving I rinsed and wiped the blade then did 25 stokes on the cloth strop and 50 on the leather.

I did most of a pass with the ZY. It didn't feel as sharp as my vintage but when I wiped the blade it was removing hair... I re-lathered and did a pass with the vintage. It was definitely not as sharp as it was when I first got it but it was sharper than the ZY. I got a bit cocky and tried to work out how to hold the razor for something other than a simple N->S pass. Some worked and others didn't. I didn't draw blood but I was not holding the angles correctly and sometimes the blade would stick to my face. I then lathered up again and pulled out the trusty DE to clean things up. I noticed a bit of razor burn later in the day and don't know if that was due to the ZY or trying different directions with the vintage...

I think I need to finish the noob guide (that thread is quite long) but there are a few things being added to my shopping list for when I finish my shave sabbatical. I think I need something with better magnification and will probably get a usb microscope. I love the pictures on the forum made with an electron microscope but that might be a bit overkill for my needs . I think I will spring for a few chunks of balsa and some diamond paste. I have not decided which grit yet but it sounds like I only need a couple. Then finally I will spring for something flat but the material seems to have evolved from 2013 up till now... I will also get some films. Right now I am leaning toward the finer end of the range 1u, 3-5u because of the stones I already have. But I might decided to get coarser films and the stones can wander back out to the shop to keep my woodworking stuff sharp.

In the mean time I will use the vintage on Saturdays (time permitting) for as long as I can keep things going with the strop that I have. Hopefully this will hep develop muscle memory. I am left handed and that hand seems sure and steady while my right hand require alot more concentration and is not nearly as sure.

Ruckin (slowly learning)

 

[ruckin]

Hmm, now I need to figure out where to place an order for a few grits of lapping film. I assume since I have the DMT up to 4k I could get away with 3um and 1um? I have seen a variety of places mentioned in the various threads but some of the players from 2011 ... are not around. I have recently seen nanolap mentioned but they are not set up for online - will they sell to an individual without needed to order 10000 sheets? Also it seems like 9"x13" is a nice size but I seem to see 8.5"x11" more often - what is the preferred size? I will buy a chunk of acrylic from TAP once I know how big the sheets will be. Also how important is it to get a name brand lapping film? I see alot of "3M compatible" in the ads which reads to me "we want you to think we are a good as they are"

 

[Slash McCoy]

Nanolaptech will sell small orders. You have to email him from his website. I think it is a side business for him and sometimes he goes a while without checking his emails. Prices are very good. Product is also quite good. Probably rebranded 3M.

Either size works fine.

 

[ruckin]

Woot, the 3 an 1um sheets came in. Now I need to figure out the size of acylic block I should get for both the films and getting set up with a balsa strop. I can't seem to find it now but I seem to recall 3.25 x 12 x 3/4 thick? My assumption is this size works for the film as well as a sheet of pasted balsa? Also is there a suggested size to grab for making sure stuff is flat?

My assumption is my vintage is beginning to not be quite as sharp as it should... I am able to do a N->S pass. I see whiskers when I wipe off the blade but it is nowhere near as smooth as my first pass with a DE. On the other hand I seem to mostly avoid bleeding. I need to figure out how to figure out the next steps to be able to do cross or against the grain strokes.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Woot, the 3 an 1um sheets came in. Now I need to figure out the size of acylic block I should get for both the films and getting set up with a balsa strop. I can't seem to find it now but I seem to recall 3.25 x 12 x 3/4 thick? My assumption is this size works for the film as well as a sheet of pasted balsa? Also is there a suggested size to grab for making sure stuff is flat?

My assumption is my vintage is beginning to not be quite as sharp as it should... I am able to do a N->S pass. I see whiskers when I wipe off the blade but it is nowhere near as smooth as my first pass with a DE. On the other hand I seem to mostly avoid bleeding. I need to figure out how to figure out the next steps to be able to do cross or against the grain strokes.

Try 3" wide. Balsa is readily available in that width. 1/3 sheet of film is like 2.833333333333" approximately wide, close enough to 3". So yeah, you can get four pieces and have your balsa and your lapping film plate, too. If you don't mind paying a little more, go for the 1" thick, especially for the film. Much easier to hold without your fingertips getting in the way.

 

[ruckin]

Thank you Slash. Keeping the tips of my fingers attached to the fingers is one of my goals for 2021 so I will look into the thicker plastic.