Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing air bearing magnetic read/write heads from a composite ceramic wafer which includes a plurality of transducers. The method includes the step of removing material from the exposed surface of an outermost strip of head forming units on the wafer by contacting the strip with an abrasive held in a rigid matrix and controlling penetration of the abrasive into the strip. The processed strip then is severed from the wafer to expose the side surface of another strip for processing and the foregoing series of steps are repeated until the entire wafer has been exhausted. A unitary apparatus including a plurality of stations for carrying out the method also is disclosed.