Thread: Flap wheels part 2

Lou,

What speed were you using your Dremel at to cause all that destruction? I'm keeping mine at 1 right now, and I lay the razor flat on a piece of wood to support the edge. Then I try to let the wheel rotate away from the edge as much as possible.

Ilija,

Could you describe a little more fully how you use the flap wheels? How do you hold the blade, how much of the wheel is in contact with the blade, etc.

Thanks,
Josh

I have the wheel rotating perpendicular to the tip-tang axis, away from the edge. The razor itself is lying flat on the work surface (unless I'm working on the front portion, the spine and the top/bottom of the tang). The speed setting is 3 but it's the Motomaster rotary tool. The wheel is flat on the blade but I've noticed that I use the top portion a bit more.
Because of the direction of rotation of my tool, I can't get to the stabilizers properly on the face side, while the wheel is rotating away from the edge so I do it with the wheel rotating toward the edge but I can't really describe it in words. Maybe I should make a vid and post it lol.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Maybe I should make a vid and post it.

Please do. Written instructions, while helpful, sometimes don't carry enough meaning. A video coupled with written instructions leaves no room for misunderstanding.

A video would be great.

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. So the razor is laying flat on the table, with the tang pointing to the right (for now). The wheel is flat on the hollow-ground portion of the blade, and the long portion of the wheel is parallel to the razor's spine?

Josh

It was a 1/2" x 1-1/2" 400 grit, 1/8" shank flapwheel operating on setting '4' on a '1'-'10', 5000-35000 rpm Multi-Pro, which would equate to oh....bout.....15,000 rpm or so, although, as soon as it touches the metal, it slows way down.....

...but really, I don't think the SPEED has much to do with it - you tangle with that edge with the flapwheel turning the wrong way and you're going south in a heartbeat....I don't care WHAT setting you've got it on.

...and THATS a FACT, JACK!

-whatever

-Lou

EDIT: A lot of responses while I was preparing this one! My blade was in a suction mounted hobby vise - it sounds like Ilija works with his blade mounted flush with his workbench. Unless you can be 110% sure that that one of those flaps on that flap wheel can't touch and grab the edge, I wouldn't try it. But hey, that's just me ......I'm still trying to find my bejeebers.

-w/e

-L

You have it right Josh. The shank of the wheel is parallel to the spine of the razor. With my rotary, it's when the tang is pointing to the right that I'm having trouble cleaning the stabilizers and then I have to risk the wheel rotating into the edge.

Lou, when the wheel is rotating away from the edge, then it can't catch it. In your case, I'm sure your wheel was rotating into the edge when it caught onto it and damaged that beautiful piece of Sheffield steel.

Agreed!
-Lou

Ilija,

I think maybe your flexi-shaft is a bit different than mine. The only place I can really do what you're describing is on the back of the blade, with the tang pointing to the left. I can get most of the blade that way, but on the face of the razor I find the handle of the flexi-shaft hits the tang and stabilizer. I end up having to tip the flap wheel and just use the tip, which doesn't make for a very even finish.

I'm practicing using my Dremel left-handed, too, which helps me keep the wheel rotating away from the edge.

Last night I restored a razor that's been sitting on the shelf for a long time--a 5/8 stamped "Edlis Barber Supply Co., Pittsburgh." I fitted it with a non-descript but very shiny pair of black scales. The 400-grit satin finish isn't super even, but it looks decent. I sanded the tang and spine to 2000-grit, then polished with MAAS. I'll have to post some photos tonight.

Thanks for the help,
Josh

Josh, that's exactly the issue I'm talking about. You can't get the wheel flat on the face side, near the stabilizers, without the wheel rotating into the edge because the tang is interfering with the flex-shaft handle. That's where you have to either sacrifice the finish or be extra-careful.