Thread: Do I really need a lap stone?

Originally Posted by khaos

My question is, will I really need to lap the hones initially? the Swaty yes, but the synth workhorse hones? I don't think I will be using them too much, just an ebay razor now and then and light touch up on my own (probably achievable on the Swaty or Thruingen though)
So if I just sandpaper my way through the Swaty, will I need a lapping plate soon? Do factory hones need to be lapped? How often do you think Thuringens need lapping? The factory hones? In number of razors, and please consider that I am not aspiring to have a hone flat to .00000000001" every time I sit down to hone, I am saying the point where I NEED to lap.

You will need to lap all your hones initially. You will also want to lap when the hones start to load up. Yes, this will probably be infrequent with the finest grits. None the less, you will be faced with lapping as long as you are honing razors. Some of the synthetics will distort very slightly between uses and benefit from a few passes on the lapping plate before each use.

As was discussed in one of the other recent threads about lapping, the DMT 8C works well for most guys who have one. You could even say that it is probably one of the most popular solutions to a common problem. I wouldn't get one of the DMTs with the perforated screen surfaces. You want more diamonds, not less. The 8C size is not a problem even when lapping a larger stone. Again, sandpaper will work ...a GDLP works better. Pick what you can justify (in terms of expense) and start using it. It's really not as complicated a decision as you think it is.