Thread: Flattening plate advice

I use Norton 1,4 and 8K stones.
I'm getting bored of using 200 + 600 grit wet sand paper for flattening them.
What are my options as far as diamond lapping plates are concerned?
On a somewhat tight budget...

Thanks

i use a DMT 325...got it from SRD for like 50 bucks or something around there...works excellent, and is recommended by many experts i believe

I was just looking at the DMT D8C. Is that the same plate?
Does it leave your 4/8K stones ready for sharpening? I see that Norton recommend 400-600 grit for finishing off the 4/8K.
Thx

The D8C is the 325

The Norton lapping plate is 220
The Shapton DGLP which is used for the Shaptons up to 30k is also 325

Most everyone here uses either D8C, Atoma 400, Shapton DGLP or sandpaper on a plate, I am sure there are a few outliers that use other methods but not many...

To directly answer the question Yes the D8C does just fine with the Nortons, and you can hone directly after using it to clean/level the 1, 4 or 8

not sure if the DMT D8C is the same as the 325, but I've been using the 325 with my Norton 4k / 8K for months now and it works perfectly.... I picked it up after having some problems with the Norton flattening plate, and I watched a few honing videos by gssixgun where he mentioned he uses the DMT 325

haha wow! nice timing Glen! haha

Originally Posted by Boarder277

not sure if the DMT D8C is the same as the 325, but I've been using the 325 with my Norton 4k / 8K for months now and it works perfectly.... I picked it up after having some problems with the Norton flattening plate, and I watched a few honing videos by gssixgun where he mentioned he uses the DMT 325

Dmt d8c is the same as dmt 325... It is probably the easiest way to get your hone ready...

The options are many. Do you need to flatten your stones too often? Like, once a week? If not, you don't have to spend more money on a new plate. On the other hand, if you do so often, a diamond plate would be a good choice, it could even save you money in the long run. And, for fine grit diamond stones, remember that THE FINER THEY ARE, THE MORE EASILY THEY LOSE THEIR DIAMOND COATING, rendering them useless. That doesn't happen on the atoma plates, but for DMT, I wouldn't advise you to buy anything finer than the 325 grit.

I'm one of those outliers.

I use a Shapton lapping plate which is a big heavy chunk of very hard steel and you use Silicon carbide grit mostly, however you can use most anything like levigated alumina for instance to produce a fine polish on the hone if you want.

Pending shipping from various locations the iWood 300 is also used frequently.