Thread: Lapping stone

Good afternoon all, I have a question regarding a lapping stone. I take it a "Lapping Stone" is the same as a "Flattening Stone". My question is, I have Naniwa 1K, 5K & 12K honing stones, could someone please advise me what Lapping Stone to buy.Thanks for your time.
Wilky (Richard Wilkins)

I think a lot of people on here use a DMT325 lapping plate. Then there is the use of wet/dry sandpaper too.

See http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...ne_Lapping_101 in the forum library.

Bob

If I were to buy my plates over again, for strictly honing, I would get an 8x3 bench hone, over the larger lapping plate. It will do the same thing but it is small enough to fit in a holder and that makes it a little more convenient to use. The 4x10 lapping plate is great for lapping but not so great for maintenance. The rubbing stone that came with my 1K Naniwa is the bomb for generating a fast cutting slurry for restoration bevel setting. From there you don't need much in the way of slurry and what is left on the hone from cleaning it with a diamond plate should be sufficient.

No, they are not the same, but can be.

Most stone manufactures make a flattening/lapping stone that can be used for flattening, but are messy, so most of us use diamond plates. There are a lot of Diamond plates available and any in the 3-400 grit range will work well to flatten a new stone and maintain it.

Some stones need more maintenance, refreshing than others, and a diamond plate will do so in a few swipes.

You can use the lapping stones or wet and dry but they take time to set up and are messier than a diamond plate. You can spend anywhere from 30 to over a hundred dollars on a diamond plate, but really, they all do the same thing.

Your stones do not need to be absolutely, dead flat, just smooth. Most of us lap the stones flat when new, then refresh prior to honing or when needed.

What type of diamond plate should I get. I just bought my first stone (a naniwa 12kss). Was going to try and use 320 grit sandpaper on a table. However I intend to add to my honing stones as time and money allow. What diamond plate is good for a flattener?

Probably the 3 most popular are the Chefs knives to go 400/1000 at $35, The DMT 8C, 325 grit, at about $65 and the Atoma 400, at about $100.

The DMT has been the most popular, were one of the first Diamond plates and will last many years, a life time with moderate use.

The CKTG plates perform pretty much the same, but have the added advantage of the 1k plate that is very useful for correction/restoration work and sharpening large knives. They do look very much like the European I-Wood plates.

The Atoma is a bit better made, (the design of the diamond application) and may cut a Nano hair better, and quicker, if that is important to you.

And lastly there is the DMT DGLP for the OCD among us, that is designed for lapping stones, at around, 200 buckos.

Something for everyone and budget. Really, they all do the same, get a stone to flattish, because after the first use, it is no longer flat”

Flattish is good enough. Pro Japanese free hand knife honers consider flattening stones a waste of stone.

Having use them all, except the DGLP, I recommend the CKTG 400/1000. I have been beating one for almost 2 years now, and I lap more than most and it shows no sign of wear.


320 sandpaper works.

good info here. I had to save it. I'll need one too. I used wet/dry paper for the first lapping but for cleaning the stone before and repirs and such this sounds right up my ally!

Bought the cktg stone based on this thread. I figure flattening my ss 12k and using to try should be a good start.