Thread: Cutting up my Norton - blasphemy?

So it seems that I'm not the first to consider this then. That makes me feel better.
Now, my problem is more one of hesitation. As I am still only learning to hone, I wonder if I might find the 3" Norton more useful when I have more skill at honing. Does anyone have any opinion on this?

I definately find it easier to hold the hone in my hand as opposed to on the table. In my hand, I can hone comfortably for an hour or two. On the table, I used to stop every 15 minutes.
Someone (ChrisL I believe) mentioned in another thread that if you can learn to hone on a narrow hone, then you can hone any type of blade. This is what makes me think this mught be a good idea.

I have DMT hones in 4" x 7/8ths, a Spyderco 303MF, and a Belgian Blue in 5" x 1.25"
I find the 1" and narrower hones give better contact with my warped and smiling blades, but the wider Belgian makes it easier to keep the blade stable throughout the stroke. So I was thinking of cutting it into a ~1" x ~6" piece, and a slightly wider ~1.5" x ~6" piece. This involes some wasted material, but I think it will leave me with the moste versatile set of hones. What do you guys think?

I was also thinking about cutting it myself with a Stihl saw with a diamond blade. Although a bench saw would obviously be preferable to ensure a straight cut, it should work without chipping the stone I think. What do you think?

Starting to feel like a child now. More answers just make more questions!!!

Connor

Did you lap your Norton flat before using it? They come from the factory with a crown in the center and if not flattened will produce irregularities in your razor. Not good! I cut up all kinds of stones with my diamond saw (water cooled) and don't have problems with shattering. I haven't yet had the cojones to try cutting a Shapton though!

Yes Howard, I lapped it one MY DMT8C and rounded the edges when I got it. I have also lapped it before each use. I think it's the width I find hard to handle. I have had SOME success on it recently, now that I am getting the hang of honing.

Connor

I also prefer narrow hones. In addition the some of the advantages pointed out above, I feel that the amount of time each part of the blade gets on the hone is closer to the same. The heal still gets less, but that can be made up for by varying pressure, as noted above, or making a number of short strokes with only the heal on the hone. That differs from wider hones, where an X pattern has the center of the razor on the hone for more time (which can lead to a frown if you don't work to counter the effects).

I did, however, recently get a full size (bench size) 1K for bevel setting. I've mostly honed smiling blades, and I find that I can get all parts of the blade to contact the hone for even abounts of time using a rolling X. This does take a bit more practice than is required to hone smiling blades on a narrow stone, but it's certainly doable. When it comes to warped blades, however, I think narrow stones still hold an advantage, even if you use a rolling X on a larger one.

Originally Posted by Lt.Arclight

I seriously doubt you would have success attempting to "cut" a waterstone without shattering it.Such a narrow stone would also seem to be a disadvantage when you attempt to hone a blade that is correctly manufactured.

It's been done before. Try a forum search in the hones section.
Nortons are soft enough to cut with a hacksaw. You'll ruin the blade but they are expendable.
Just don't use water while cutting or the teeth will vanish before your eyes

Or take it to any stone cutter and they'll cut it for you with no effort whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Howard

I haven't yet had the cojones to try cutting a Shapton though!

Theoretically, the diamond should be able to cut the glass. But aren't those low grit shaptons cheap enough to give it a try?

Originally Posted by Bruno

Theoretically, the diamond should be able to cut the glass. But aren't those low grit shaptons cheap enough to give it a try?

Sure a diamond can cut glass, but is the diamond saw designed to cut glass? I could see it chiping and cracking or working fine.

But I wouldn't let someone experiment with my stones.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Theoretically, the diamond should be able to cut the glass. But aren't those low grit shaptons cheap enough to give it a try?

The shaptons are mounted on tempered glass, which will not cut properly. If I was a betting man, I'd guess that the tempered glass would shatter as soon as the blade hit it. But there's only one way to find out...

If the Shapton ceramic matrix is adhered to tempered glass I, too, would recommend not trying to cut it with diamond tooling, or by any other means for that matter. I once brought a piece of tempered glass to a tile/marble contractor who was set up to cut very large pieces of stone. The glass was ordered the right size, but came too large so I tried to save some money for the glazer and some time for myself in getting a replacement lite by bringing the glass to the tile and marble shop which owed me a favor. They didn't think it would work, but I said nothing is lost if it breaks. They were right; the glass shattered as soon as the water bathed diamond wheel contacted it - and the wheel was brought up to the glass very slowly and carefully.

Personally I like big stones - what's wrong with me?

Don't answer that

I'm gonna do it!!!
I figure, if I make a bit of a jig, to ensure a straight cut, then I can do it with a Stihl saw.
It's a pity the Shapton glass stones can't be cut, as the next thing on my list was a narrow 1000grit stone. Soaking the Norton does my head in, but I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
Thanks for all the input.

Connor