Thread: silicone carbide sanding sheets Harbor Freight

I just purchased a used Norton 4k/8k, and am waiting delivery. I need to lap the stones. Been doing a lot of research, and there are many, many opinions on what is best, or commonly used. Some people like the norton lapping stones, others say they also need to be flattened themselves. DMT is recommended by some, and others say they don't last. Etc, Etc... So I'd like to try sandpaper as it is economical, and a granite/marble slab is cheap too. Plus many here report good results.

Harbor Freight has silicone carbide sanding sheets of various grits. I've read several threads that some people use sic powder on a marble/granite slab with good results. So why not sic sanding sheets...?

HF has 220 grit, 500 grit, 1000 grit, and 1200 grit wet/dry silicone carbide sanding sheets. I was thinking of getting a pack of 220 grit and 500 grit to lap my norton stones. What are your thoughts on this progression...? 220 grit to flatten, then 500 grit to smooth the stones? Done under running water of course. Thx.

Silicone carbide on a stone slab (especially marble) is not going to last very long. Much better on glass but even then it will "dish" quickly. I wonder if Harbor Freight sandpaper is done after one use like most of their tools

I agree that the marble/granite stones would dish quickly, which is why I won't use marble/granite with sic powder to lap my hones. But the sic sandpaper seems like a good option. The marble or granite would provide a flat surface, and because the sic only comes in contact with the Norton, the marble will remain flat.

If the sandpaper is done after only one use, that's fine. 10 sheets are only $2.99. It's cheap, and a good option if effective. So when people say they are using wet/dry sandpaper, is it usually silicone carbide as the cutting medium, or is there something else that people are referring to?

Thanks,

Yeah, that's what they use. I use a DMT for all my heavy stone work. My experience with stones on paper was that I needed a truck load of paper to do what my DMT does in a few minutes.

Yea, that will work. Any good 320 Wet & Dry will work, but you will be lapping a synthetic stone a lot. Not to flatten, but to refresh and dragging out W&D every time you hone is a pain.

You can buy good large Diamond Plates very inexpensively, not the HF ones, on EBAY or from Chef Knives to Go.

Lose grit Silicone Oxide lapping is for natural stones, not synthetics. You run the risk of imbedding grit in the soft stone and now having to lap more stone to remove the Silicone Oxide.

A steel cookie sheet from the Dollar stone and a flat concrete floor work great if using Wet & Dry or lose Silicone Oxide.

Thanks Euclid440. Being that the Nortons are 3" x 8", the DMT should be of equal size or larger correct? Checked Chefknives as mentioned, saw nothing "inexpensive" of that size. Thanks for any further assistance.

Chef Knives to Go, 400/1000 combo plate, at $35 is a great value and a very good plate. It will easily lap synthetic stones, maintain them and can be used for correction and to reshape knives.

The diamond pattern prevents stiction, common with DMT plates

They also carry a 140 grit plate for $30, if you need more aggressive cutting, it is almost bullet proof, I have been abusing one for a couple years now on hard naturals.


Yes, do buy at least an 8 in plate.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Chef Knives to Go, 400/1000 combo plate, at $35 is a great value and a very good plate. It will easily lap synthetic stones, maintain them and can be used for correction and to reshape knives.

The diamond pattern prevents stiction, common with DMT plates

They also carry a 140 grit plate for $30, if you need more aggressive cutting, it is almost bullet proof, I have been abusing one for a couple years now on hard naturals.


Yes, do buy at least an 8 in plate.

So I can use the CKTG 400/1000 to set the bevel on a straight razor too?

Yes, you can, but using a Diamond plate to set a bevel has its own issues. Diamonds cuts very deep that can cause chipping at the finish stones, especially when used with too much pressure.

You can use the diamond plate for correction, but I would not recommend a full bevel set on a Diamond Plate for a new honer. A good 1K synthetic is not that expensive. A King is under $30 and the Norton 4k will easily reset a bevel. Both will give better results than a diamond plate.

Stay away from harbor freight sand paper it's junk.