Lenny
@lennym
active 5 years agoForum Replies Created
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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