Thread: Diamond lapping film vs. alum oxide lapping film

I much prefer the diamond film! It costs more, but may well be worth it if you obsesss about such things!

Same razor (Tornblom) first honed on a new sheet of 1um alum oxide lapping film 200x

Then after seeing that dissapointing finish, I went to a new sheet of 1um diamond lapping film 200x

Same razor, same magnification, different film, different results.

What seems to happen, especially when the alum lapping sheets are new, is the particles seem to easily come off the film and form a slurry, leaving those striations you see.

I think you would have to do the same experiment with another razor wit the diamond film 200x then the Al2O3 200x to validate that it was the film and not the extra strokes.
I also did an experiment and went nuts finishing a swedish blade(very nice shaver) and eliminated most of the tooth with the .3micron Al2O3 film and was very disappointed with the shave test. Maybe this is one of the interperatations of "overhoning". Could it be that there is a optimum scratch depth the emprically gives a better shave in the end?
I find if my bevel is set, there is not too much work to do on the polishing stones and I don't go crazy on the ChromOx either and the just a little refining on plain leather.
Mike

That';s a good point, and the proper way to run an experiment.

I still say it is the alum oxide film itself, as I did a progression on the alumoxide film here, and you can see it all has that same, scratchy slurried look to it.

I love the science you bring to the forum and you may be totally right in your conclusion. Do you emprically share some of the same conclusions that I made in that the edge goes past a cetain point and though it might look more refined in that the scratch pattern is gone at that magnification the shave test is left wanting?
Mike

Originally Posted by Kingfish

I love the science you bring to the forum and you may be totally right in your conclusion. Do you emprically share some of the same conclusions that I made in that the edge goes past a cetain point and though it might look more refined in that the scratch pattern is gone at that magnification the shave test is left wanting?
Mike

I have tried going all the way to 0.1um finishes in the past, but have found that I prefer the shave coming off of 1um. The edge starts to look a bit wavy when I have tried for super high finishes, I think it is getting too thin at that point to effectively support itself.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I have tried going all the way to 0.1um finishes in the past, but have found that I prefer the shave coming off of 1um. The edge starts to look a bit wavy when I have tried for super high finishes, I think it is getting too thin at that point to effectively support itself.

I wonder if the metal with it's undulations(i.e. scratches) has the effect of angle iron giving it strength. I also noticed a rapid deterioration off a very respectable Swedish steel when the edge was closer to "perfect"
M

Originally Posted by Kingfish

I wonder if the metal with it's undulations(i.e. scratches) has the effect of angle iron giving it strength. I also noticed a rapid deterioration off a very respectable Swedish steel when the edge was closer to "perfect"
M

It's the classic case of "putting too fine a point on it"...

I think the 1um strikes the balance between sharpening it up to a certain point, as well as "rounding off" the very edge just a touch as well.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

It's the classic case of "putting too fine a point on it"...

I think the 1um strikes the balance between sharpening it up to a certain point, as well as "rounding off" the very edge just a touch as well.

I know many honers aspire to get to the level of getting "too fine a point". Another experiment that might be fun would be a super fine edge taken to the abrasive limit but at a steeper angle. Or just a secondary bevel for speed with significant taped spine for starters. I know for the average person much of this sounds silly but we could be doing things far worse. The average shaver is more than likely happy just to get a great shave from however or whom ever hones their blades.
Mike

Originally Posted by Kingfish

I know many honers aspire to get to the level of getting "too fine a point". Another experiment that might be fun would be a super fine edge taken to the abrasive limit but at a steeper angle. Or just a secondary bevel for speed with significant taped spine for starters. I know for the average person much of this sounds silly but we could be doing things far worse. The average shaver is more than likely happy just to get a great shave from however or whom ever hones their blades.
Mike

Yes, I've played with that as well, but I prefer to keep it simple. If one razor was finished to 3um, then I added two layers of tape to finish at 1um and below, but another razor was honed with one layer of tape to Xum, and then finished with Y, I couldn't keep track when it came time for a touch-up.


Here's a Wapi edge I was screwing around with. I wanted to put a convex edge on it, so I had like 5 layers of paper under the lapping film and finished it all the way to 0.1um. The bevel sure is shiny! Not sure how it shaves, as that Wapi was one of the warped ones.

There is something to be said regarding having as few variable as possible. As I too have become infected with SRAS, I started a system where I use one layer of tape all the time for each razor. After 15 razors it becomes impossible to remember what I have done for each one. I think the good point of doing things the same way is you get a better idea of what you like as far as razor style and type with evrything else being the same.
M