not so simple after all

My goal is supposed to be simple: I just want to own a few razors, keep them sharp, and enjoy a good shave everyday.

So I ordered a pre-honed razor so I can learn to shave right away while I figure out the rest of the stuff. Strops and paste will keep me going for a while but I'll need a hone or two. Ok, I can do that. Oh the stones need to be lapped? Ok. I can do that to. Then I read the other day someone saying that I might need to find some scrap metal to break in the lapping diamond plate! Is this for real?

I need the scrap metal that laps the diamond plate that laps the hone that sharpens the razor that I strop and then shave with ! Gees! :-)

You need a shaving supplies manager to keep things straight for you. PM me for details :)

Yes it is simple. Its just that some people like making simple things complicated. I would say if you buy a lapping plate it should be flat to begin with. if its not I wouldn't be messing with it.

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Originally Posted by khat

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I need the scrap metal that laps the diamond plate that laps the hone that sharpens the razor that I strop and then shave with ! Gees! :-)

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You forgot to mention King Caractacus...

Yeah, things can get messy real quick. As the great man said "What a wicked path we pave, When at first we start to shave..." or something like that. :shrug:

All the bits are simple and as BigSpendur says, we can tend to overcomplicate matters somewhat, on occasion. You don't need a lapping plate. Wet/dry on something flat (sheet glass, ceramic tile) works fine. It is not as convenient, but it works fine.

James.

You need a lapping plate??

Take this: one kitchen worktop and a piece of sandpaper. It's really all you need and dirt cheap.

Should the Wet&Dry be finer or coarser than the stone you are trying to lap?

I'm new to all this, and I'm trying to learn all I can before I head in to this strange world called "Straight Shaving". I'm the kind of person that has to absorb all of the knowledge they can find :)

I used 400 grit wet/dry as a starting grit when I lapped stones with wet/dry and usually followed it up with 800 grit, some people report problems with embedded grit in stones from the wet/dry but I never had any problems with it.

Scrap metal to lap a diamond lapping plate!??

I don't where you heard that, but it sounds absurd. A diamond lapping plate is already going to be flat. And s piece of scrap metal ain't going to make a scrap of difference. (pun intended)

I use a 1k diamond hone to lap my hones, but after that I use a much finer rubbing stone to smooth out the scratches.

EDIT: Wet/dry sandpaper does work, but it tends to curl up, so you basically only get 1 lapping from it. In the long run, you'd be better off buying a diamond plate for lapping.

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Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

EDIT: Wet/dry sandpaper does work, but it tends to curl up, so you basically only get 1 lapping from it. In the long run, you'd be better off buying a diamond plate for lapping.

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Depending on how much honing you plan to do!

I think maybe we need to start differentiating between Honing razors and Re-freshing razors...
To hone razors ie: a dull /damaged razor to shave ready, is a different animal, then to buy a shave ready razor, and keep it shaving sharp for years to come....
You can get by for years with two shave ready razors, a good quality linen/leather strop and a high grit barbers hone.... oh yeah and the talent to use them correctly.....

For many of us this is more than just shaving each morning, it ia a hobby that we enjoy, so we tend to try and take it to a different level....