Thread: Similar Q as Shaman had...

I have a similar dilemma.

I have the Norton flattening stone (came with my hone set.)

I have a nice belgian combo stone on the way here
but the blasted flattening stone is not flat!

I'm tired of the "lap this with this, then lap this with this" crap, and tired of wasting a whole sheet of sandpaper on hones.

I want something that I can use for all my hones, and cut out the middle man. If you had the choice, which way would you go?

a)D8C

-OR-

b)Shapton Compact Lapping Plate

?

The only reason I am considering the SCLP over the D8C is I thought I read about the D8C losing its diamonds after a while. Obviously, I can get the D8C for about a 1/3 the cost, but I would rather make the investment in the SCLP if it will pay off in the long run. Advice would be appreciated!

I'll tell you that the best lapping plate I've ever used is the DMT Duo-Sharp 250 mm bench stone, one side Coarse (325 grit) the other side XX Coarse (220). Woodcraft sells it as item W250CXNB.

It's 10 inches by 4 inches, is perforated with holes, and will lap anything. In fact, you need to use light pressure with the XX Coarse side, it could chew through a tombstone if you really lean on it. The perforations in the surface are great for keeping it clean. I wouldn't touch a razor to it, but it's just amazing for lapping stones, in my opinion. Less than $150, I got mine for about $120 at a walk-in Woodcraft store a few months ago.

The winning combination for me is the 220 side for flattening, the 325 side for finishing and beveling, and then I use sheets of 1000 grit and 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper to get a mirror finish.

A link to the DMT I'm talking about is here. It's a big, bad, boy.

I use a DMT as well, but just the 325. I dont really over-think the whole lapping process, I mainly do it to get the swarf off and get a fresh surface to hone on. Mostly flat works for me and I've not had a problem yet!

The main reason I say that is because I cant believe that, back in the day, barbers and straight razor users were going out of their way to get their hones as flat as possible, nor do I think there was the technology to get things down to a 0.00000001" level of flatness. As long as the razor was sharp and the hone kept it that way, it was good enough!

I've used the DMT 325 on my 1,4,8 and 16k Shapton ceramic stones and its done a great job, and it only cost me about $40 from SRD! Score!

I hear ya Stubear,

Like I said, the only reason I was shying away from the DMT was because I didn't want to have to replace it at some point because the diamond grit gets knocked off. I don't care if my hone is "perfectly" flat, I care about product durability.

Originally Posted by avatar1999

I hear ya Stubear,

Like I said, the only reason I was shying away from the DMT was because I didn't want to have to replace it at some point because the diamond grit gets knocked off. I don't care if my hone is "perfectly" flat, I care about product durability.

If you do your lapping in the sink under running water that DMT D8C 325 continuous plate will last a long time. I've been using one for well over a year and have lapped many a hone with it and it still performs about like it did when I got it.

Great Jimmy! Thanks I know at some point I'll end up getting the SCLP, but I'll get the D8C for now and the saved money can go towards razors or other stuff

Maybe I'll get the lapping plate for my b-day...grr...still 2.5 months away!