I have a question for you fine gentlemen, honemeisters, and honemeister wannabes
I'd like to procure some lapping film for touching up, in 3mu and 1mu. Would you recommend aluminum oxide or diamond?

Personally I Would Recommend Chromium Oxide Film..,Chro/Ox is a Smoother Cutter than Diamond..Also..It has More Cushion..Far More Cushion..It Delivers a Seriously Highly Polished Edge..I Used the 15 Diamond for Bevel Setting then the Chro/Ox for Progressions..

I Learned to Hone on Film..I use Naniwa Super Stones these Days..Both are Synthetic..The Naniwa Super Stone Progression is Far Faster than Film but One Media is as good as the Other in Terms of Consistency & the Superb Polished Edges they Both Offer..

Billy..

Thanks Billy:
My supplier only had aluminum oxide and the diamond lapping film. I chose the diamond in place of the Al. I also ordered 5Ml of 0.05micron diamond paste for stropping.
I may have to use a piece of paper under the 1 micron film for added cushion. I shouldn't have to cross this bridge very soon, unless I do something stupid; which isn't outta the question

The 1 Micron Should be Fine without a Cushion..0.5 Micron is a another Story..That Said..I use the 1 Micron without a Cushion & then Finish with a Cushion..The Cushion Allows a Lighter Touch while Still Doing its Job..Its Also Refining the Edge More..

The Edge from 1 Micron Film is a Step Up from a Naniwa 12 K Finishing Stone..1 Micron is the Equivalent to a Synthetic 14/15 K Finishing Stone..0.5 Micron is the Equivalent Grit to a 20 K Stone..The Diamond is Absolutely fine..

A Wee Tip..Diamond Film is a Fast Cutter..Its Also More Sensitive to Undue Pressure..You can Destroy a Sheet Very Quickly Compared to Chromium Oxide Film..I Mean Quick..Just to Let You Know..The Up Shot of Diamond is that it Doesn't Require Much Pressure as All as It Cuts Very Well..Finishing or Refresh Hones Use Very Little Pressure at that Stage of the Game Anyway..

Billy..

This was my second razor that I've honed today. It's a good thing this was second, because the other one ticked me off.
Anyway. This razor came straight from Japan, and needed a little touch ups with the finish. It already had a sharp edge, but a little rust on one side edge. The blade had some rust too. Overall the razor was in great shape. I cleaned up, and polished the blade. Then I went to work on the edge.
I killed the edge, before even attempting to polish the blade, so I figured it would take a while. Swedish Steel. I didn't tape the spine, because there was minimal wear on the entire blade. When I started, to my surprise, it took a bevel very fast. I did not use and pressure, as the blade was very straight, as was the spine. It pushed the water wonderfully.
The progression went 1k King stone, 3k/8k stone, 8k 12k 15k Welsh Slate Stones. Then a little 100 count Stopping and finished. Popping hair, down the entire edge.

Parker PR 502 13/16 inch and thick
Made In Japan-Tokyo
Best Silver Steel/Swedish Steel

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After:

Nice job! Now for the shave review

I shaved with it tonight. It went great. It's a big heavy chunky razor, with minimal feedback.

Your turning into quite the restoring honemeister

Thanks, I just get lucky now and again.

I Re Honed My John Nesbitt Sheffield 6/8th Today...I Wasn't Happy with the Bevel Set on this SR Even Tho it Came from a Reputable Vendor I Often Use..Naniwa Super Stone Progression..1 K, 3 K, 5 K, 8 K, 12 K, 1 Micron Lapping Film, 0.5 Micron Lapping Film as My Finisher Hone..Ten Laps on 0.2 Red Rhodium & 100 Lashes on the Tony Miller Heirloom Strop...

A Naniwa 12 K Stone is a Great Finishing Stone in its Own Right..The Continues Progression with 1 Micron Film & 0.5 Micron as a Finisher for Me Takes an Edge to Another Level with Consistent Results..The 0.5 Micron Film is the Equivalent Grit to a 20 K Stone..I Just Love these Naniwa Synthetic Stones..They are as Consistent as the Morning Sunrise & the Synthetic Lapping Film Hones Just Compliments them..

The John Nesbitt Sheffield took a Killer Edge..I Could have Shaved with it Straight Off the 1 K Bevel Hone..

Billy..

I had an opportunity to put to the hones two large old Sheffield-made Wade & Butchers.
These two razors had been around for some time awaiting work. One, the smaller 7/8" with the pointy tip (hone wear at the toe creates a pretty dramatic point—which I find can be quite handy.) This one require required new scales.


The other, an 8/8" FBU required only some clean-up of some heavy build-up on the blade. Beautiful full-size, heavy hollow-ground blade with a rather thin tang and skinny tail!


As I cleaned it and removed layers of grime from the blade face, I noticed something that tends to make my heart sink….


Oh well….I still continued to clean up the blade and scales. I decided to go ahead and hone it up.

I opted to use the same honing progression I had recently used with some success—synthetic bevel setter, followed by a mid-range jnat and then a nagura progression on a jnat finisher.



End results: both razors took very keen edges (HHT4-5) and I'll be using one in an upcoming SOTD.

The FBU with the crack— I'm still debating whether to use it or not. I KNOW there's plenty of postings out there about NOT shaving with an SR with a cracked edge ("You'll scar yourself! "You'll need to call 911!") because of the risk of supposed 'blade flex' at the edge. Has anyone ever USED a cracked SR or know of someone where cracked 'blade flex' has injured someone? Just curious. I've seen blades with cracks many times—particularly on full-hollows with very thin steel. The steel on this FBU, in contrast, is rather thick, even at the edge. I dont imagine much 'flex' occurring on this particular blade face. Anyways, I'm in no rush to try it but probably will at some point.

I would apply a little pressure to the tip, and see if it flexes. If not, give it a shave. Do a small area at a time. Its not like its a full hollow grind that will flex easily.

Out of curiosity, why cant a thick edged blade be stabilized with a good metal epoxy?? Like JB Weld. You could apply it to the crack, then sand and buff the excess on the blade down. Then hone it like a normal blade.

The latest Hone job of mine was a nice Vintage Japanese Razor. It had some major deep corrosion at the toe end, on the edge. I had to hone and kill the edge many times, to get to clean metal. It took a very nice sharp edge, all the way down the blade.

Razor- DERBY No.1000 東京

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I considered this. May still do it. There's no flex in the blade when firm pressure (FAR firmer than ANY pressure used in shaving) is applied to the toe, but there is still the chance of a whisker catching in the gap.

The crack appears to go halfway through the thickness of the blade (?)
How does this happen? A chip I could see occurring from a fall.

Previous owners wife used it as a screwdriver??

Billy..

Crack is less than a 1/3 the width of the blade. Sometimes extreme temperature change. Sometimes impact. Hard to know the history on some of these old blades.

I am watching this with interest. I have a 7/8 hollow that I had sold and was returned to me because a crack was found in the clean up process. Its a nice looking razor, and if its possible to use it, I will.