Thread: Is this a bad idea????

Hello,

I dont have the money at the moment to buy a 1000/4000 Norton stone but Ive been using 1000 grit sandpaper glued to a piece of glass to sharpen my knives for a few years now. I was looking on the 3M site and I found some 3M™ Microfinishing PSA Film. It goes all the way down to 0.3 microns and it has a peel and ply backing on it. So could I put this on glass and use it like a 4000 grit water stone???? Any one done this kind of thing before???? Any info would be great, Im new to the straight razor thing.

Thanks,

Chris

Honestly, yes. I've heard of folks using papers for honing, but with mixed results. Buy a barber stone and send me your razor and I will hone it for you as long as you cover postage. Then save your money for a 4/8K norton or a 3/8k naniwa. Either of those would get you by for ages.

Shooter,

Thanks for the info and the offer! Im going to get them in the mail soon, clean them up a little and then Ill get your info to send them to you. But I cant have you do it for free. I would like to send you a gift along with my razors. Are you into pocket knives? If not anything other then razors you like?

Thanks,

Chris

Some guys use sandpaper but you have to be really careful. As you know, from sharpening your knives, it has a much higher concentration of grit than a waterstone, and will cut fast. There was some kind of gizmo that was commercially manufactured for using micro film for honing and there have been threads about it in the past. I've never messed with it myself. Nice of shooter to make the offer so maybe it won't be an issue, but thought I would point that out.

You also have to make sure that it stays flat. If it curls up a bit, then the edge will abrade away.

Originally Posted by socalkid

Shooter,
Thanks for the info and the offer! Im going to get them in the mail soon, clean them up a little and then Ill get your info to send them to you. But I cant have you do it for free. I would like to send you a gift along with my razors. Are you into pocket knives? If not anything other then razors you like?
Thanks,
Chris

What you can do for payment to me is pay it forward when you obtain the knowledge and/or skills. This is just a part of the SRP experience and one day you can do the same for someone.

See kid, this place is filled with awesome people like shooter who received a lot of assistance when they started and only wish to offer that back to this community. I think this is why this place is so great.
Oh, there is an article in the wiki on using lapping film for honing and if you decide that you want to try it just send me a PM and I will help you locate exactly what you need for this. Make sure you take the time to learn what a shaveready edge feels like first and keep a fresh one on hand for when you first learn to hone so that you can compare edges.

Yes, it's possible. I used 1000 / 2000 / 5 micron abrasive film successfully, before I bought a set of Norton hones. It was an inexpensive way to get started with vintage razors.

With the 5 micron film, followed by CrOxide paste, I got a decent, shaveable edge.

Yes, you have to careful about the paper or film curling up from the flat base -- that will destroy an edge really fast.

There's an article in the Wiki about using micro-abrasive film -- I think it's in the "Honing" section.

Charles

That's exactly it, I did receive a lot of help in all of the areas. I was lucky enough to have one of the great ones teach me a few things about honing. Heck, I learn something new quite regularly from this great group of guys & it's not always the veterans who have been around for a long time.