Thread: 3M Micro Abrasive Film, A Usage Guide and Review

Wildtim,

Have you tried the decal appliers' technique of wetting the surface and/or the applique with water mixed with a tiny bit of dishwashing detergent before sticking the two surface together? I spoke with someone who puts the decals on our Highway Patrol cars, asking how they got them on so smoothly and he said water, soap and a squeegee. Wet everything, soak the decal, hold it up and apply it to the car door, and squeegee out the bubbles (or roll out with your plastic laminate roller). Once the water is worked out of the joint between the substrate and applique, the adhesive can make a smooth semi-permanent or permanent bond depending on the type of glue. This should work as well for different materials such as your abrasive films.

Just found similar alum oxide lapping sheets here, even cheaper and slightly larger:

Lapping sheets and plate

Comes in a pack of 10 for $13.10, so it's $1.30 per sheet.
Each sheet is 9" x 13", you can then cut each sheet into four individual 3 1/4 x 9" sheets for honing. $1.31/4 = 33 cents a honing sheet!

I'm planning to get the 9.5" x 13.5" glass plate they have as well. I can then mount three of the 3 1/4" x 9" honing sheets along three of the side of the glass plate and thus have all three grit sizes (5um, 3um, 1um) available on one plate!

I'm currently using diamond lapping sheets, and they are awesome and long lasting (been using the same sheets for close to three months, they are starting to wear out now), but they are about $5 for a 3" x 6" sheet.

How long do the alum oxide sheets last, WildTim?

Steel uses up aluminum oxide papers pretty fast. How long these will last depends on the density, type of aluminum oxide and the binder used.

But...the price is right. Give it a try and let us know how it works.

I forgot to post shave test results for the three razors I talked about a couple of weeks back. I'm glad I was reminded of this thread today so I could do so.

The second razor from my refresh session came out of that session shaving really really nicely. I have left it alone since. This razor also gave me great shaves right of the 8000 last time i sharpened it so I wasn't surprised to much. This is one of those razors that makes straight razor shaving seem easy, it shaves well, sharpens on a brick and holds that edge very well. Its ugly as sin too so you aren't afraid to mess up its looks.

The first razor from my session didn't fare quite as well. It shaved but pulled a little. I probably would have tolerated this level of sharpness when I started honing, but not now. It is markedly better than it was though.

The third razor, my problem child also improved from where it was but seems slightly overhoned. This razor often feels this war right off the hone, only to start pulling badly again a and couple of shaves later. Like I said a problem child as I never seem to get it into that sweet spot of perfection.

I kind of cheated in my tests when solving these two imperfections. I didn't want to go all the way downstairs for either the few laps it would take to fix the one or the disappointment I face in the other. So I reached into my vanity and pulled out my favorite barbers hone giving the better razor three strokes, and the worse one ten. This put the first back into my rotation shaving smoothly, so it was really close to perfect when it came off the honing paper. The last razor still wasn't there yet and it took another ten laps on the barbers hone to get it there. This is actually the first time I have been really happy with this last razors sharpness level in my last three attempts at honing it.

In conclusion: The paper system is as capable as any bench stone/hone system for touching up a edge that has gone off from use but still nothing beats a hone you can use right at the sink and store with your shaving supplies for those last final touch ups that give the most refined shave.

I just purchased some 3M Micron Finishing Paper from Progress Tool. They carry a large selection. These aren't micro-abrasives but they are advertised as the grits we'd use to sharpen. I purchased 2 sheets of each and they cost me $13.80 shipped. I'll let you know if they're good after I get them.

3M Micron Finishing Paper - 1 Micron / 8000 Grit (Lt. Green)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 2 Micron / 6000 Grit (Mint)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 3 Micron / 4000 Grit (Pink)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 9 Micron / 1200 Grit (Blue)

I use pieces of the pinnacle system variety pack in my travel kit
from woodcraft supply
#147990 the variety pack has 1 sheet 3 grits, finest is .3 micron
I cut some to fit a small spyderco 1000 grit slipstone and the rest to fit a balsa wood "card". The coarsest grit I didn't use
cool stuff but too disposable for the long run imho

Originally Posted by TstebinsB

I just purchased some 3M Micron Finishing Paper from Progress Tool. They carry a large selection. These aren't micro-abrasives but they are advertised as the grits we'd use to sharpen. I purchased 2 sheets of each and they cost me $13.80 shipped. I'll let you know if they're good after I get them.

3M Micron Finishing Paper - 1 Micron / 8000 Grit (Lt. Green)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 2 Micron / 6000 Grit (Mint)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 3 Micron / 4000 Grit (Pink)
3M Micron Finishing Paper - 9 Micron / 1200 Grit (Blue)

Progress Tool carries many different papers. However, these are definitely not appropriate for using with razors. These papers feel more like a cloth than sandpaper. Don't waste your money.. like I did.

Originally Posted by TstebinsB

Progress Tool carries many different papers. However, these are definitely not appropriate for using with razors. These papers feel more like a cloth than sandpaper. Don't waste your money.. like I did.

see my post above They are even hone shaped something like 3 x 11 less than 8 bucks

I am now using a flat granite plate I got on sale from Woodcraft. It's awesome for using with lapping films! It is certified flat to below 2 microns across the entire surface!

No need for any type of adhesive. I put a dollup of water down on the granite, lay the film down, and use a damp cloth to press out the excess water, which also helps to clean off any shmutz that was on the film from my previous honing. After the water is all pressed out, the film stays put via stiction from the very thin layer of water under there. Also, if there is anything that gets under the film, you can simply lift it up, clean it out and press it back down again. And when you're done with one grit level, simply peel it off and apply your next one.

Works great! I love my granite slab. I had been using glass plates, but somehow this feels better. I also used it as a surface for sandpaper to lap my Chinese 12k.

Bringing up my old thread

I haven't posted in here for a while because, well, I haven't had anything to hone for a while.

That is finally done with as a few of my razors have dulled down to the point where a refresh just isn't cutting it so It's time for another honing session with these hones.

I decided to peel the 1 micron re-apply it just to make sure the grey streaks are swarf and not the abrasive having been worn away (the film is transparent). It was still stuck perfectly flat as is the 5 micron so they actually were still ready to use even after the better part of a year tucked away in a drawer. It just peeled off leaving a bit of the adhesive behind. The adhesive came up instantly with a quick application of goo gone. I cleaned the glass then used Bruces dish soap trick below to apply the new sheet.

The dish soap worked perfectly, there were fewer bubbles and they smoothed right out, I don't think I would have needed the laminate roller to get good adhesion and bubble removal but since I have it I ran it across the surface anyway. This gave me a perfect honing surface in seconds. I blotted up the excess soapy water and let the hone dry so the adhesive would stick. A couple of hours later it was ready for use.

Once again they performed very well and with the ease of applying the film this time, I could safely recommend this as a viable way to enter the honing realm with start up costs much much less than those of a traditional hone.

Originally Posted by Bruce

Wildtim,

Have you tried the decal appliers' technique of wetting the surface and/or the applique with water mixed with a tiny bit of dishwashing detergent before sticking the two surface together? I spoke with someone who puts the decals on our Highway Patrol cars, asking how they got them on so smoothly and he said water, soap and a squeegee. Wet everything, soak the decal, hold it up and apply it to the car door, and squeegee out the bubbles (or roll out with your plastic laminate roller). Once the water is worked out of the joint between the substrate and applique, the adhesive can make a smooth semi-permanent or permanent bond depending on the type of glue. This should work as well for different materials such as your abrasive films.