Abstract: Row bars are attached to a lapping ring by a first single-sided adhesive film that adheres to the row bars and are secured to a first lapping ring by a vacuum. After backside lapping is performed on the row bars, the row bars are transferred to a second lapping ring with second single-sided adhesive film by compressing the row bars between the adhesive films and deactivating the vacuum, thereby releasing the row bars from the first lapping ring and providing ring-to-ring transfer without peeling the row bars off the first single-sided adhesive film. Lapping rings used for this process include vacuum channels and slots for holding the row bars so that the top surfaces of the row bars and lapping ring are substantially flat. Ring-to-ring transfer tools are used to transfer row bars between the backside lapping ring and the frontside lapping ring with minimal handling of the row bars.