Thread: Diamond Lapping Film

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I might try and put something together, as I'm just about out....

If you do, count me in on a group buy. 3 sheets of plain back, type A .1u... nm. Lemme' know if you start to organize one!

Originally Posted by Sticky

If you do, count me in on a group buy. 3 sheets of plain back, type A .1u... nm. Lemme' know if you start to organize one!

I'd be doing my basic setup: 3x6 sheets, 6um, 3um, 1um (I don't care for the edges refined higher than this except for a bit of Cromox stropping).

Thanks for the idea Seraphim! I tried the plain-backing Type A 3x6 inch strips of 3M diamond lapping film in 15, 9, 6, 3, 1, 0.5 and 0.1 micron sizes from PSI Dragon. Placing wet film on top of a precision granite plate from Woodcraft, I set the bevel at 15 microns and did approximately 20 strokes per side for the 9 and 6 microns and 10 strokes per side for each of the last four micron sizes. The resulting shave was very smooth with no alum burn. My shaving hand can usually feel the hair being cut but this is as close as I have gotten to wiping hair away. I have one spot which always requires a ATG touch-up but WTG was enough for this shave.

DLF certainly works well. The DLF is portable (1,000-30,000 grits in your coat pocket), is consistent presumably and does not require lapping. On the other hand, it's expensive over the long run and gets me back to using disposable items. Natural waterstones last forever, have a history and a certain beauty. In contrast, DLFs are about as romantic as window washing fluid. Perhaps I'll collect natural waterstones but hone with DLFs.