Thread: Naniwa 12k warped?

Hi I just got a naniwa 12k stone a week or 2 ago. I also bought a Norton flattening stone. I lapped the naniwa and refreshed my blade (7 swipes) then put it away. Then the next time I went to use it because I wanted to freshen the blade again cause I started head shaving as well I noticed the naniwa was bowed? When I place it on the flattening stone the center is lower than the ends. Is this normal?

Doesn't sound quite right to me. Have you soaked or left it out in the hot sun for a long time?

No I left it on the counter to dry then put it back in its box and stored on top of the cabinet in my kitchen so the kids can't reach it

I would check and make sure the Norton stone is flat. I think that stone is pretty much worthless. Mine wasn't flat. I ended up buying a DMT and never regretted it. Sand paper on a flat surface would probably work better than the Norton.

Yes, the Norton lapping hone has to be lapped flat--ridiculous but true.

Click HERE for an old thread about this issue. Basically you have to handle your hone the same way regarding wetting each time for the sake of consistency. A hone that is higher in the middle is not a bad thing and personally, I would not bother to lap it away. It will wear down with use.

If you cant get on with your norton. Put some pencil grid lines on your 12k and lap on some wet'n'dry, do this a few times to double check.

Again lapping plates do not always start off flat.

If your still having beef contact the vendor.

Mines is lower in the middle

How badly is it warped? If its a little you can lap it a bit. Lap it on wet and dry paper, the Norton stone is junk. Your first post said its higher in the middle. Like Utopian said you can just use it like that it will wear in. It would bother me so I would lap it. Don't soak these stones they will warp. Good luck.

Yeah, kind of an interesting contradiction that you have to lap your lapping stone before it's any good. Now that mine has been lapped flat and broken in it's pretty good, but I wouldn't use one the way they are out of the box. You also have to keep it flat as you use it, hard naturals will make it dish out pretty quickly. Live & learn.

Naniwa's warp. I used to own Naniwa's that need to be lapped every time before use because the center would be higher then the ends. I lapped on a DMT dia flat which is guaranteed to .0005".

It drove me crazy but I guess some do some don't. I'll look for the thread if you search naniwa warping you might find it.

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