Lenny
@lennym
active 5 years, 1 month agoForum Replies Created
-
Yes, I know about lapping film and use them when I am going for a truly mirrored edge. I am not interested in achieving a perfectly mirrored edge in this instance for economies sake. My question was more in regards the experience users have with following the ceramics with 4/2 micron and 1/0.5 micron strops and if they were to use only one, which they would pick. I think I more or less agree with you there in that the 4/2 micron are a sensible choice.
Edit: I only reply here to keep the conversation public in case someone else interested in this may find it later on.
1 user thanked author for this post.
Thanks for all the thoughts guys. I’m going to mess around with it some on a few test knives I have. I just noticed that the Pro-Pack II transitions from the 1.4/0.6 ceramics to 1/0.5 micron pastes. From what I have heard, the emulsions are more effective than pastes of a given grit.
I have actually thought of a powered systems (like a Tormek clone) for knives that need major reprofiling but my space is limited.
1 user thanked author for this post.
I figure I should post an update.
I found a piece of float glass and attached the 1.5 and 0.5 micron lapping films to it; multiple pieces of each were used to give a larger working surface. I used both small amounts of light weight mineral oil and later trend lapping fluid. I worked in a figure 8 pattern with hands on either end of the stones, occasionally rotating them 180 degrees to try to make sure even wear was happening. After some time (15 minutes?) I looked at the surface: the slight high spots and valleys remained. Perhaps some of the peaks were knocked off but it’s hard to say.
I believe this was because I started the lapping process with the grit I intended to finish the process with: namely 1.5 and 0.5 micron respectively. I thought about trying again starting with some extra 9 micron films I have but didn’t have the energy since the stones work more than good enough for finishing kitchen knives already.
Thanks for the info guys. The photos in the thread are helpful. I don’t think I’ll be working the 9 micron films in my progression unless I feel the need to buy a whole new set of blank handles.
Yeah, I think that the plates are pretty flat and produce something close enough to a v bevel to let the films take care of the rest. Of course, a bevel doesnt have to be V cut in the first place to be sharp.
1 user thanked author for this post.
Yes, Organic is correct, play around with it. The diamond stones are the foundation of any sharpening progression I use on the WE. From there, I will proceed with lapping films, ceramics, or more straight to strops. I do not use the lapping films and ceramics together and no do I use strops after my lapping films because I finish with a 1 micron film and feel the edge I get from that is what I want for that application.
I would recommend on finding progressions that give you a good return on time and materials invested, the latter being mostly a concern with lapping films since they are expensive.
3 users thanked author for this post.
My 1200 grit ceramics do not produce a “scratch” to my eye. Instead its more of a dull luster; these are obviously still scratches but I wanted to describe it in a way relevant to your question.
3 users thanked author for this post.
I really like the 14/10 strops on balsa. I like the finish they give after the super fine ceramics. I’ve been experimenting using them between my 1500 grit stone and 6 micron films when I’m going the lapping film route.
1 user thanked author for this post.
