Thread: lapping Naniwa hones

Originally Posted by jules

Hello, I have 3 questions regarding lapping Naniwa hones. 1. is pre- lapping important before honing, if yes then why? 2. what is the best lapping plate for the Naniwa Hones from 1k to 12k ? 3. whats is the best grit size.

I had always used wet/dry sand paper to lap my Naniwa Choseras. It works but can be slow going at times.

To answer your three questions:

1. Yes lapping a hone before use is important because you will benefit most from a true honing face when honing a straight razor. An uneven one will cause you greif (you can count on it).
2. You could use a diamond lapping plate. Many people here do, although they are a little costly. You could use wet dry sandpaper on a hard flat surface (like a granite tile), definately a cheaper option. I just bought the Naniwa lapping plate/hone a few days ago. You can see my post here. So far I love it, but I don't know if it is available outside of Japan.
3. For higher grit finishers and polishers you want it as smooth as you can get it. So 1000 grit or 15 micron would be a good decision.