Thread: Poll: How often do you lap your Norton...

Originally Posted by syslight

have you tried using a nylon scotchbrite pad between razors? i find that this removes the glazing and keeps the cutting surface in good shape

No, I have not tried a scotchbrite, but the DMT-C does a great job of refreshing the surface and keeping the surface flat at the same time for me. I have not really felt the need to look for alternatives but that sounds like a good option.

David

Welcome back to the dark side, josh

I lap my nortons after each use, so that they are flat when I use them next time.
Lapping after each use has the advantage that it doesn't cost much time. 10 - 20 seconds on each side and they are good as gold.

I like my nortons a lot. I think they are indispensible, at least for creating / polishing the bevels.
The 8K can deliver a shaving edge, but these days I consider it an intermediate step before the coticule or Japanese stones.

Originally Posted by Kenrup

I use a small translucent Arkansas stone like a Nagura stone. It makes a slurry, takes the glaze off and help keeps the hones flatter longer during the session.

I do this as well, only wth a small, coarse barber hone. I lap every 25 razors or so.

I try and remember to do it every 10 razors but.......
whenever they need it...
The Norton Nagura does a great job of cleaning off the surface of the stone
I also use a finishing stone (Shapton 16k) after the Nortons but for the cost and the ease of use they are hard to beat out to the 8k grit..... I would rate them a 4 out of 5 now after using the Shapton 4k and 8k at the NC meet....
However the Norton 1k is still a bevel setting monster.....

Never. I just take the Norton Waterstone kit to the NC meetup and let gssixgun lap them for me....

Oh wait! Does this mean I'll need to start lapping them myself in the future?

NEVER!




















Cos' I don't have one! (sorry I could not stop myself)

Well, this isn't enough responses to be scientific, or even representative... But the majority seem to lap their Norton frequently, if not on every razor.

My hypothesis, which I submit for discussion, is that frequent lapping is the key to happiness when you're using a Norton. Because the 4K side of the stone is pretty soft, I think that it quickly gets rough on the edges, and this isn't good for edges as fine as what we're trying to create. It also dishes out, and we already know that makes life difficult...

I've always noticed that my Norton does best when I get that smooth, slightly chaulky feeling while honing on the 4K side. For some reason, the outer edge of the hone quickly looses its smoothness and starts to feel rough. I have always felt this was damaging the edge; the sensation is one of grinding rather than sliding.

I used to assume this roughness was normal, but now I'm lapping whenever I feel it, and I'm much more satisfied with the results.

Maybe this is a source of newbie angst. They are reluctant to lap their new, expensive hones, and so with each step in the pyramid they're slightly degrading the edge...

Just a thought. Anyone care to agree or disagree?

Josh

Thanks for this post, as I've been wondering if I lap mine too much, but looks like I'll keep doing what I've been doing.

I would say I lap mine every after 5-6 razors. Depending the residue.

I will lap it sooner if I notice there is a lot of black residue that is getting embedded. After I lap the stone it works much better and faster.

This is kinda annoying now and I am hoping to get a Belgian in the near future.

Bah, I never use my norton anymore. It's DMT plates followed with Spyderco (M,F, UF) FTW...or coticule...

When I used to use it, I would lap before every honing session. I don't like the edge from the 8K though, it just didn't work for me. It's currently collecting dust in my hone drawer, I may sell it here cheap just to get rid of it.