Ultra fine stones vs stropping vs lapping film

[sickpuppy1]

Paddle Strops

Large ebony paddle strops, just over 15" in length and just under 2.5" wide and approx. 3/4" thick overall. Wood was cut / ripped to size, handle was cut to shape then beveled using a router. Each side was branded, one fine and the other coarse. The wood was leveled dead flat which is important...

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[HeavyHanded]

I’m using a Hapstone R2 along with the dual side Venev diamond stones. The finest Venev stone is 1200 grit (FEPA-F), which translates to around 3 micron. I’d like to go for a more polished edge and not sure which direction to go. When do you switch from a stone to a strop or lapping film? After the 1200 Venev can I progress to finer Shapton stones, or Chosera, or should I switch over to strops/lapping films? Finally, after the 1200 Venev (3 micron) what would be the progression of stones and/or strops in order to achieve a more polished edge. Thanks.

Personally I would stay on the stones as long as you can - assuming the stones are a good abrasive match for the steel in question. If you have a stone that's finer than the last one you've been using, put it in the roster. Go to the strops at the very end and preferably as a single step.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I’m using a Hapstone R2 along with the dual side Venev diamond stones. The finest Venev stone is 1200 grit (FEPA-F), which translates to around 3 micron. I’d like to go for a more polished edge and not sure which direction to go. When do you switch from a stone to a strop or lapping film? After the 1200 Venev can I progress to finer Shapton stones, or Chosera, or should I switch over to strops/lapping films? Finally, after the 1200 Venev (3 micron) what would be the progression of stones and/or strops in order to achieve a more polished edge. Thanks.

3-micron and finer diamond compound on firm or hard wood, like basswood, makes transitioning to a polish very, very easy.

In particular, I've used DMT's 3-micron Dia-Paste for this, on basswood. It works great in bringing up a fast polish after following sharpening on hones through 1200 (DMT's EF, at 9 micron) or 8000 (DMT's EEF, at 3 micron) in particular. The 3-micron paste will generate a mirror polish much faster than will 1 micron. I oftentimes just finish with the 3 micron, not seeing much need or desire to go finer than that. I've used this most on steels like D2 or S30V, and it works great with both.