Thread: Lapping a Nakayama

Hey all,

So after talking to OLD_SCHOOL, it seems that it's really my decision as to whether I should lap my new stone. It doesn't need lapping in terms of removing chips or inclusions. I told him that I had decided to just leave it the way it is, but I'm beginning to second guess that.....I know it's really up to me, but I can't help but wonder if it would perform better with a good lapping.

So my question is: For those of you who had an unlapped Nakayama and lapped it, did you notice an improvement in performance?? The only way for me to check for flatness is to actually lap, so that's of no help to me.... Also, I was thinking it would give me a nice fresh surface as I don't think this stone has been lapped ever.

This wouldn't be an issue at all if it didn't have the lovely kanji on the surface.....On the plus side, there is a faint Maruka stamp on the end of the hone that would survive.

I'm not looking for advice, just would like to hear people's experience with lapping Nakayama's and how it affected their performance as it might sway my decision.

Thanks!

P.s. This is the stone (just another excuse to show it off...)

I lapped my Oohira razor hone with a 325 DMT. It left a rough finish that took a while to smooth out, durring honeing. I was not aware that the roughness of the stone was a direct consequence of the flattening with a rough plate, compared to the relative grit of the hone.

So really I can't say if lapping yours will make it better, but I know if you do lap it to insure you polish it with finer grit than 325

Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

I lapped my Oohira razor hone with a 325 DMT. It left a rough finish that took a while to smooth out, durring honeing. I was not aware that the roughness of the stone was a direct consequence of the flattening with a rough plate, compared to the relative grit of the hone.

So really I can't say if lapping yours will make it better, but I know if you do lap it to insure you polish it with finer grit than 325

Well I have a DMT 325 grit, but was considering just starting with a higher grit and taking my time. i.e. something like 1000 grit wet/dry and then once it's perfectly flat going to 1500 then 2000. It may take a while, but I don't want a rush job.

Oh, and this is if I actually decided to lap it. I'm still on the fence about this one!

When I got mine from Hida Tool in Berkley, CA. it was already flat, lapping it only took out a scratch or two, it was already flat enough given the ease it lapped flat.

I don't foresee any difficulty in lapping it if I decide to. It's just hard to decide because I'll lose the wonderful Nakayama Maruichi kanji....but what if I lap it and it performs much better, than it's worth it...but if it's not that much of an improvement than I lost the kanji in vain....

But I did buy the stone as a finisher not for the kanji.....

Do you see why this is difficult for me?

Oh yes, I don't envy your choice

However if it where mine I would not worry about it. Many photos, and lap, move on... But thats me.

I have three Nakayama hones, one Namito and two Asagis. I have lapped all three of them. All three had "lovely kanji" on the surface but I did not buy collector pieces. I bought hones. Their performance was of tantamount importance to me. I honed before and I honed after. Each honed significantly better after.

I have no regrets.

Well I think this is something that I will need to sleep on...

Utopian has a good point though, and I did really buy this stone to be used as a hone, not as a collector's piece. He also really sways my opinion by saying that he has noticed an improvement after lapping.

OLD_SCHOOL also does have a point about not wanting to waste stone. But since it's pretty flat as is, I wouldn't need to remove too much material anyways. The stamps would wear off eventually anyways, so if I were to lap it I wouldn't have to watch them die slowly! Also, I could better appreciate the stone's natural appearance with no stamps in the way....(this is me rationalizing )

I think I am siding more with the idea of lapping it just to try to bring out the stone's full potential. I'm still going to sleep on it, as making a tough decision at almost 2 AM is almost never a good idea.....

I will report back with my decision tomorrow! Thanks for all the replies everyone.

EDIT: I did a quick little photo-shopping on MS paint to see what it would look like (roughly) with no stamps. I think it looks pretty damn sexy actually!

Great looking PS pic, one reason I love natural hones, beautiful

I tested my Nakayama before I lapped it in an attempt to keep the kanji, but the edges I got of it was good, but not great, and my straight edge did tell me the stone could be flatter, so I lapped the stone. The edges improved and since I'm not a hone collector it was ok for me to lapp it.