Lapping

So I was thinking (dangerous)... There are a lot of guys who hone their own razors using relatively cheap hones, mainly just doing touchups and the like using the Chinese 12k, maybe a Coti, etc.

I find it hard to imagine that these guys spend $200 on a good lapping plate.

I'm looking at picking up some cheap hones like a 12k and a DT, maybe a BBW.

I know you can lap these with sandpaper by hand since I did that with a tiny barber's hone I have, but I was wondering if there is another way? Maybe someone has a hone lapping service? That might be crazy, but I am looking for all kinds of crazy input.

Of course sandpaper might just be what I'm stuck with.

If you figure the cost of the paper over time a DMT D8C continuous plate is worth the price of admission IMO.

I'm with Jimmy here. I went cheap and bought the DMT6c. I don't get many new hones and I'm done with barber hones (though I have lapped a few barber hones with it), so it works for me. IIRC, it was around $35.

PLUS 1 with the Jimmy man the DMT 325 is the way to roll...