Thread: New Norton 4/8, Old Black Ark...

Trying to put together a set of beginner stones.. on a budget.

I now have a Norton 4/8 and an old black Arkansas finisher. A King 1k is on it's way. That's it.

Last night I started the lapping of the 4/8. Started..

The 4k side took all of ten minutes to lap four grids using the Norton flattening stone.

The 8k? After two hours, sixty three YouTube video's, two black plums, a bag of Doritos and a glass of Wild Turkey American Honey, I went to bed. I hadn't finished the first grid. The corners are not flat yet. I have to find some DMT's to get this done. No idea where to get them locally, so my honing project may have to wait.

Two-plus hours. For lapping one grid. Does that sound right?

I assumed the flattening stone was true and flat, but didn't check it. Now I hearing stories of flattening stones that need to be flattened.. I am going to check it with a straight edge, but that would really suck if it weren't flat.

I also have to lap the Ark. I have instructions for using wet/dry paper, but that's yet another expense to absorb. I assume if try to lap it with the Norton flattening stone it will take a month of Sunday's given how long the 8k is taking.

If I source the DMT plates, can I use them on the Ark as well?

That is the one pain in the arse with the norton lapping stone. It needs to be lapped with auto body sandpaper or dmt, before it can be used to lap your nortons. It is also only good for lapping the nortons.

2 hours is a long time to lap a norton. I have lapped some chinese stones in the past that made me question the decisions i had made in my life though.

The DMT 325 or lower, I have used it on just about every stone except the chinese. I used sand paper for that. Luckily sandpaper and a junk piece of tile are cheap though for the initial lapping of those.


Long term, if you stick with this, the DMT is great. Sorry for the rambling thoughts.

If you get the DMT make it the D8C continuous plate. Don't go for the 6". Two hours to lap the 8k is not normal IME. Definitely check the lapping plate with the straight edge, and the 4k side you already lapped as well. I've lapped Arkansas stones with the D8C with no problem. Washita, Soft Ark, Hard Ark and Black Hard Ark.

Well, I checked both the flattening stone and the 4k side with a Starret straight edge and both are flat. I realized I have a green 6" DMT that I use on my woodworking chisels.. Maybe I can do an initial flattening of the 8k side and follow-up with the Norton flattening stone?

Originally Posted by MikekiM

Well, I checked both the flattening stone and the 4k side with a Starret straight edge and both are flat. I realized I have a green 6" DMT that I use on my woodworking chisels.. Maybe I can do an initial flattening of the 8k side and follow-up with the Norton flattening stone?

Give it a shot. I like a plate to be as long as the hone but I have flattened 10 and 12" hones with an 8" plate so it is doable.

Worked like a charm. Did the Ark as well. One problem with having cool stuff is forgetting all the cool stuff you have...