Thread: Sharp blade: harsh v. smooth

Mastro Livi makes 3 or 4 sized loom strops. I have the medium and it works fine. His web page is: Benvenuto al sito di Mastro Livi. I think straight razor designs still have a large one available. If you go direct to Mastro Livi, keep in mind you will be ordering from Italy. He takes credit cards and paypal.

Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

Thanks Euclid you were right on - it was chippy. After doing some investigating it seems the 8k side of my norton 4/8 is causing chips within 5 to 10 strokes. Like a chip with a streak up the bevel here and there, like a comet with a tail. I think it got dirty somehow or some tiny bits of crud into it. I'm always very careful to keep things clean but I will have to do some work to that side before I trust it again. The important thing I learned was what that looked like magnified matched with the way the shave felt.

Watch your pressure when lapping it is easy to embed particles in a soft stone like a Norton.

Yes, watch the pressure, especially with a new diamond plate. Norton lapping stones are notorious for that. I like the 400/1k plate for lapping and finish on the 1k side, for a couple quick finishing laps, (especially with higher grit stones 8k and up).

Norton lapping stones are notorious for that.

And don’t forget to bevel or round the edges, it is the last part of the stone to touch the edge, a sharp corner can mar an edge.