Thread: Anyone use 3M Micro Abrasive Sheets?

One of my other hobbies is hand tool woodworking. There have been quite a few guys to use 3M micro abrasive sheets to put the polish on their tools (plane blades, spokeshave blades, etc) because they go down to .3 micron (or smaller), and all you need is a solid substrate (glass, granite, etc).

Anyone use these in our world of straight razors?

Originally Posted by Matthew Groves

One of my other hobbies is hand tool woodworking. There have been quite a few guys to use 3M micro abrasive sheets to put the polish on their tools (plane blades, spokeshave blades, etc) because they go down to .3 micron (or smaller), and all you need is a solid substrate (glass, granite, etc).

Anyone use these in our world of straight razors?

yes if they're something similar to these... http://www.handamerican.com/paper.html Or are you speaking of Micro Mesh?

If they're similar to these, then yes.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/i...odid=ST-MAF.XX

Matthew -
Do I understand correctly that the woodworkers use this stuff to sharpen their tools?
-whatever

-Lou

Originally Posted by Matthew Groves

If they're similar to these, then yes.

It appears the PSA abrasive sheets are the same/similar from both referenced sources for all but the chromium oxide papers. To answer your original question, members here use a variety of abrasives, including sheet sandpapers, various rotary tool (eg, Dremel) flap and buffing wheels, leather hones both with and without abrasive powders/pastes, various stone hones including water, diamond, and naturals. As in woodworking, necessity is the mother of invention here too, so you'll find less conventional items in use as well.

(BTW, the micro mesh I mentioned is also a 3M product which has some users here. It has uses in working with razor blades as well as scales.)

You can find both Micromesh products and 3M Mylar micro abrasives (as nib smoothing kits) in our catalog of pen repair tools and supplies.
http://www.tryphon.it/catalogo.htm

Yes, they use them to sharpen tools. Not restore them or sanding them to make them pretty. These are used for the sharpening part.

They are "replacements" for stones. Oilstones, Waterstones, etc. Basically, you get an instantly lapped (flat) "stone" by using one of these sheets on a hard, flat, stable surface. Guys use thick glass or stone or even a flat hardwood to provide the "flatness" of their stone. The abrasive part of their "stone" comes from these (and others) papers.

When the grit runs out, all you need is another sheet of paper. There's no tedious lapping because the surface never degrades, only the paper.

In woodworking land it's called the "scary sharp" method. It's a very affordable way to have several grits at your disposal.

I've used these sheets and I like them better for my woodworking tools than I do for straight razors. I use them on a piece of float glass. To me they're a bit messy and I don't get as fine an edge as I do with a razor hone (on a straight razor). Try one of the belgian coticules on your straight razor and also on your woodworking tools. I guarantee you will be delightfully surprised! I have a number of customers who make violins, guitars, lutes, dulcimers, etc. (to me that's the ultimate in woodworking) and they love their coticules. They often buy the odd-shaped bout stones and wear specifically shaped grooves for gouges. The bout is also good for plane blades and at $55 they're a good buy.

Originally Posted by Howard

I have a number of customers who make violins, guitars, lutes, dulcimers, etc. (to me that's the ultimate in woodworking) and they love their coticules.

I would have to agree. With a fair amount of a carpentry background, my farther is a carpenter and I worked with him for close to 7 years, instrument making is probably the most technical you can get with wood. Not saying that there aren't other, just as difficult areas of woodcraft, but instruments just take so much into consideration. One must not only be an expert on wood, quite literally, but must also be an expert on acoustics and how sound works. I still think of it more as an art than a science, but a great deal of knowledge must be acquired before one can even consider thinking about making an instrument. I can see why your customers would love their coticules.

Matt

I sometimes use regular wet-dry sandpaper to start an edge, but I find that the paper has some give to it that ever so slightly rounds the bevel. It takes some work on the stones to flatten that rounding out so I can work up through the grits. (Other members don't have this problem so it could just be my honing technique...)

If you could stick with papers through the final polish that might work better.

Just my two cents,
Josh