Thread: Norton flattening stone

I recently bought the Norton kit. 4000/8000 220/1000 which also includes a flattening stone. Are the Norton flattening stones any good?

They work. They're not the best but they do work. You do have to make sure that they are flat and they have a tendency to leave deeper scratches than a diamond plate. Also, with use, you need to continue to check to make sure that is still flat.

I should've included this question as well: what is the best method to flatten the flattening stone? And should I do this before I use it? And how will I know when it becomes flat again in the future??

W/D sandpaper or loose silicon carbide on a flat surface--ideally in a container. Whether you need to do it before first use will depend on whether or not yours comes flat. You can check this with a straight edge on the lapping surface holding both up to a light and looking for gaps.

If it's anything like the naniwa one I got you may want to take off any sharp or square corners also. I lapped mine on very low grit w&d on a piece of glass. Didn't think much of it so brought a d8c

Glass or a flat tile with sic powder. One tile is cheap at a home improvement store. Couple of bucks.

Thanks bud. How much sic should I dump on it? Do I mix it with water? I already have a basic understanding of that method but this is all new to me. Could you tell me a little bit more?

Originally Posted by Diehardmason

Glass or a flat tile with sic powder. One tile is cheap at a home improvement store. Couple of bucks.

I tried to go that route years ago and found that the tile was far from flat so check it with a straight edge (you should be able to find one since you're in a home improvement store) before purchasing it.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I tried to go that route years ago and found that the tile was far from flat so check it with a straight edge (you should be able to find one since you're in a home improvement store) before purchasing it.

+1 here. I bought a 12" x 12" piece of granite that was flat as some of the other ceramics had minor undulations that would've been an issue. If you do look for rule try to find granite.

You can buy a certified flat piece of granite that is designed for this purpose, I got on for $20. Yes, that is more than a piece of tile or glass but you know it will be flat!