Thread: Flattening my Norton 4/8K

I flatten my Norton 4/8K using a glass plate with water lubricated 800 grit silicon carbide paper.

Should I get a finer sharpening if I used a higher grit of paper?

Ian

No, the grit is embedded into the stone.

True, but as with high grade metal polishing (bike alloy ) using a finer grit to level the stone would be gentler on the stone's grit high points?

Ian

For new Norton stones, you need to remove close to 1/8" of "skin" to get to the proper honing materials. This is the ONLY issue that the Norton stones have. I recommend picking up a DMT 325 that is 8" or longer. This is what most all of us use. This will lap the stone and keep it flat. I have the DMT11C, it's 11" of the 325 grit.

I have flattened it several times. It is not the flattening I'm interested in, it is specifically whether using a finer flattening agent will produce a better hone surface.

thanks,

Ian

Progressive hone flattening???
Finer grit will take the high points out left by the 800 grit, but one or two passes with a blade will also remove those high points. So moving to a higher grit to finish the hone will maybe give you 5 seconds of better honing.

Cris,

Good point!

thanks,

Ian

The only stones that I’ve lapped with higher grits are my natural finishers one side to 800 and the other side is up to 2000 except my coticule that one came lapped from Ardennes and hasn’t needed lapping. And from what I have read lapping with a diamond plate on a coticule can cause issues with how it polished a razors edge.

Originally Posted by Paul76

The only stones that I’ve lapped with higher grits are my natural finishers one side to 800 and the other side is up to 2000 except my coticule that one came lapped from Ardennes and hasn’t needed lapping. And from what I have read lapping with a diamond plate on a coticule can cause issues with how it polished a razors edge.

Now that puts a different slant on lt (pun intended)

Ian

I don't care what you use, the stone is the grit it is, most use a DMT 325 to lap or f
Refresh a stone, you don't need more. Once cleaned of any grit from your plate or sand paper or SIC. The stone is what it is, and doesn't even need to be dead flat. The better results from honing come from the guy doing the honing. Tc