[icedog]

Originally Posted by aragornelessar86

isn't a microbevel essentially what stropping creates over time? As the bevel becomes rounded by the strop, the angle of the actual edge becomes greater. That's basically what you're doing with a microbevel.

Or am I totally off-track?

Yes, you are totally off track. Stropping does not remove steel.

[bassguy]

wait wait wait, i thought the general consensus was that stropping does remove metal, albeit at a snails pace? I can't find the link but the post about the article with microscopic photos showing slightly reshaped edges and removed debris?

[Kingfish]

Originally Posted by bassguy

wait wait wait, i thought the general consensus was that stropping does remove metal, albeit at a snails pace? I can't find the link but the post about the article with microscopic photos showing slightly reshaped edges and removed debris?

The amount of metal that stropping removes is not significant in contrast to the cutting power of the Shapton. If you were stropping with pastes you could relate the two more IMHO.
Mike

[JimmyHAD]

It wouldn't hurt to this thread, "Interesting Article" another look to add to the conversation.

[Lesslemming]

just to through in some pieces: The interesting article seems quite ... "old".
Verhoeven could not see any effect of plain leather on steel edges at 2.000x magnification done with SEM, at all!

It however is interesting that it is obviously possible to maintain a shaving edge with plain leather much much longer,
than without. So there must be an effect to some degree.

Pasted leather will (pretty fast) create a rounded appleseed bevel.
That´s like a multi-bevel. If done correctly, there is nothing wrong with it.

My theory what plain leather does is rather bend the steel, than abrade it.
Verhoeven showed that the highest possible polishing action is not only an abration
but a plastic flow of steel, not because it melts, but because of the same reason you can bend aluminium foil, but not a bar of 20mm Al

[Kingfish]

Originally Posted by Kingfish

I am sure others have done this before but I have been experimenting with microbevels with the Shapton 30000. I has given me the sharpest and smoothest edge to date. It is easy to do and is repeatable.
If you have a Shapton 30K and have not tried it, I would like to know what you think. Here is what I do:
Basically, create your bevel as normal up to and including your 16000.
Then the final step, add one layer of tape and let all that 30000 out on a very small fraction of the bevel. Give about10 skillful laps and take a look, TPT or a shave.
Do not strop or add and further development with paste etc.
The final edge is the smoothest, cleanest and sharpest edge I have ever seen or shaved with to date.
Michael

I am surely not the only person who is in persuit of the "perfect edge". Since starting this thread my methods of getting one has led me an unexpected conclusion. This type of an edge is great for cutting into whiskers but by any measure I could think of is not the best straight razor edge. It might be good for a microtome, but proper shaving techniques utilize scything motions. These motions lower the effective shaving angle.
If a edge is so smooth, as sharp as it might be, loose effectiveness while scything.

[kevint]

You know Kingfish it would be a grand plan for me to get rid of tape. I did a few without and later lost track as some few others have experienced. the easiest "repair" was to go back to the plastic protector.

One of the elements, for me at least, to label any sharp as the perfect edge would be that it is easily restored. Taping resists the ultimate simplicity of ready to work without much ado.

reading of your adventures has inspired me to eliminate that extra step