Thread: lapping equation

This newbie has a question about keeping hones flat and properly working. My arsenal currently starts off with a 1200 grit DMT. I shave off the 4k/8k norton. I have ordered a chinese 12k natural waterstone this evening online. I think this an optimal newbie setup. I was wondering what do I need to lapp the 4k/8k and 12k properly?

The Chinese 12K can be lapped with wet/dry abrasive paper, starting with 600 grit and finishing on 1000 grit. Be prepared for a lot of backbreaking work (at least a couple of hours and several sheets of paper) if your stone is as hard as mine was.

As for the Norton 4K/8K, many people say that you can lap it on w/d abrasive paper but I have always had bad results because the 8K side is soft and porous and grit from the paper gets embedded in the surface. You can feel the razor hit something as you hone. For this reason, I recommend at least the Norton Flattening Hone or, if you're going to be doing a lot of honing, the DMT 8C or other similar diamond lapping plate.

I don't know if you're considering it or not, but don't ever even think about using your DMT 1200 grit diamond plate to lap any of your hones.

I would have made a major mistake. What can I use besides abrasive paper and a flattening stone?

Well, those are really the only options. There's sandpaper, W/D works best, and there's flattening stones like the norton SiC flattening stone, Shapton DGLP (very expensive) or a coarser DMT like the DMT8C.

The Norton flattening stone will work fine for water stones (like Nortons) but you cannot use them on natural hones, like the Chinese hone, because they are so hard that they will ruin it.

If you aren't going to do a lot of lapping, sandpaper is a perfectly viable option. If you don't like that, a DMT 325 grit (or lower) plate would be your next best choice. Unfortunately the DMT will cost nearly as much as your hone.

Thank you all. It looks like sandpaper is the best option for my money.

Hello by the way its been a while since I been in here. i still straight shave but currently use a safety razor but its still a straight edge with good cuts. I want to go back to my normal straight edge but havent had time to lap so finally i did. I used a 600 grit sand paper and i was lapping for a while. Its now flat and i was wondering what do i do know. the surface that was on there before was very very smooth to the touch with almost no abrisive contact to the touch. Now that its lapped it is abrisive. and I want to know is this part of lapping done and do i have to sharpin my razor x amount of times or is this going to ruin my razor. Sorry how i wrote this but its harder to type than to speak since im not a fast typist.

the best option for your money would be dmt 150/600 grit for 9$ from bay 6 x2 .gl 0r 325/600

... or silicon carbide powder on a glass plate.
Comes in different grit sizes.