Ultra fine hones vs. fine pasted strops

Since I started using Swaty types hones, I no longer use linen or my Chromium oxide pasted strop. In my bathroom, I keep my highly polished Premier (dry lapped for many hours with an Apart). About three very light passes on the Premier (dry) combined with 40-50 on the strop restores a razor that has just begun to pull.

Sharpening with a highly polished fine grit hone cuts in a different direction than sharpening with a fine pasted strop. I don't use the Premier very often, but it sure works well when I need it. I was wondering if this difference in cutting direction is significant. Any comments?

Hal

I had an intersting experience yesterday. I have four razors that I am honing. The usual 4000/8000 was used followed by a .5 chrome oxide pasted strop. I was not satisfied with the edge so just for the heck of it I used a Blue Point classic barber hone. The laps were anywhere from 15 tp 40 depending upon the razor. The edge felt much sharper so I went on to 35 laps on the .5 chrome oxide pasted strop. Now they all are popping hairs just fine. The shave test will be tomorrow. I have a 5 day growth so that should give a pretty fair evaluation of the edge.

Hal, you dry lapped the Premier with the Apart? Why? Did you end up with a smooth shiny surface on the Premier? Was the finish on the Apart changed in any way? Lots of questions I know but if you can find the time please respond. :?:

Hi Randy,

Dry lapping is very instructive and helpful, particularly when lapping fine grit hones. When lapping dry, it is important to use only another hone of a similar composition and grit. (As you know, if you were to lap a fine peach and cream hone with an Apart you'd have a real mess. The Apart would simply load up with the softer composite). When lapping the Premier with an Apart, the Premier slowly comes up to a mirror like polish; the Apart also polishes up but much more gradually.

Lapping dry shows very clearly, the sublte variations in the surface of the hone, whereas using water does not. You'll quickly discover that it is not at all as flat as it should be for an fine grit hone. Any variation in the surface will diminish its effectiveness. The finer the grit the flatter the hone should be. Dry lapping my Premier using this method transformed it into a ultra fine grit hone. I have no idea what grit number it is now; I do know it is very very flat and very very smooth, making it an ideal surface for its intended purpose. There is more contact between the blade and the hone, so it cuts more effectively. Try it and let me know what you think.

Hal

I will give that a try. I just dug out two hones that seem similar. A Koenig, Austria and a Keen Edge. I will try those two first. I also have two Aparts that will be candidates for the procedure.

Thanks for the idea! :)

Randy,

Good to hear you've got not one, but two Aparts! The Apart is quite exceptional, among one of my favorite Swaty type hones. Let me know how it goes.

Hal

Thanks that sounds like a great idea. Im having pro lems keeping an edge on my new razor ill try dry lPping curious to see if my edge problem disapears.

Generally you are better off never lapping a barber hone. The OP from long ago lapped his hone in order to make it more smooth, but simply using barber hones makes them smooth by burnishing.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Generally you are better off never lapping a barber hone. The OP from long ago lapped his hone in order to make it more smooth, but simply using barber hones makes them smooth by burnishing.

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+1

Great advice!
I destroyed a barber hone once by lapping, 99% of the time they don't need it.

I've had no success with barbers hones improving my edges (most i've lapped some i haven't). I realize that a lot of them are of a courser nature (6k) and that the grit is in the burnished surface which you can ruin/change by lapping. So, can one "repair" a lapped hone with another?

Unless you have a diamond lapping stone, isn't lapping a barber hone a very slow process???

Give your hone a good bath. You could destroy a lot of straight razors on a old barber hone before you made it uneven. If you will mention what kind of hone it is I am sure one of these guys can tell you how to clean it up, and restore it's abilities to hone correctly.

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Originally Posted by JP5

Unless you have a diamond lapping stone, isn't lapping a barber hone a very slow process???

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not too bad, i usually use wet dry sand paper or Silicone carbide on a marble slab.