Thread: What to use for flattening hones?

Originally Posted by ktinch

Norton also sells a flattening stone.

True, but from what I've heard they are of varying quality; some aren't even very flat. They are fairly soft and are to be used with Norton hones only.

ktinch,

+1 to Ryans' comments.

I have the Norton flattening stone, and indeed after a few months of use I had to flatten that with 160 grit carbide paper on glass !

I also did not like the finish that the Norton flattening stone gave - the finish from the DMT 325 is vastly superior IMHO.

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I have an extra-large flattening stone made by Naniwa. The DMT is nice, but it's often smaller than the stone I'm trying to flatten, and that can be problematic. The Naniwa is about 12" x 6", way bigger than any stone I'll ever flatten, so the stone never goes over the edge. The Naniwa is dead flat and 220 grit, so it leaves a nice finish on the stone that is flattened. Yes, I'll have to flatten it someday, but it looks like that will be years in the future, not months.

For reference, I've used DMTs, wet & dry on glass, and wet & dry on granite. I greatly prefer the Naniwa.

No matter, the DMT is the best bang for the buck period. I don't doubt the Nani is good, the the DMT should be in every arsnel of stones. Many of the honemeisters will tell you the same. Just don't get "lap-happy", I hear of many who wear their stones out more lapping than honing. I personally have a seperate set of stones (which I also recommend) that I use for kitchen knives...but I rarely hone over 3K. Honing knives will wear a stone much more than a razor IMHO...but then again we are talking about a tool versus a delicate instrument.

What would be the difference between the continuous DMT and the ones with holes?

Would 6" x 2" be large enough?

How does the DMT look and feel when honing; does it feel and look like a water stone?

Thanks for the replies

DMTs are made and sold as sharpeners, not flatteners. The ones with holes have a lot less diamond on them and would quickly be destroyed if used as flatteners. The plates will work, but, compared to something like the Naniwa that's made for flattening, they have drawbacks: (1) the coarse diamonds work quickly but will scratch your waterstones, so you'll have to polish out the scratches; (2) the DMTs will stick like crazy to your waterstones; (3) if the edges of the flattener go beyond the edges of the waterstone (or vice versa), there's a very real chance the waterstone won't get perfectly flat.

Wet & dry sandpaper on glass or granite is great, and only has the "stiction" issue. A dedicated flattener like the Naniwa extra large has grooves, so even the stiction problem disappears.

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

DMTs are made and sold as sharpeners, not flatteners. The ones with holes have a lot less diamond on them and would quickly be destroyed if used as flatteners. The plates will work, but, compared to something like the Naniwa that's made for flattening, they have drawbacks: (1) the coarse diamonds work quickly but will scratch your waterstones, so you'll have to polish out the scratches; (2) the DMTs will stick like crazy to your waterstones; (3) if the edges of the flattener go beyond the edges of the waterstone (or vice versa), there's a very real chance the waterstone won't get perfectly flat.

Wet & dry sandpaper on glass or granite is great, and only has the "stiction" issue. A dedicated flattener like the Naniwa extra large has grooves, so even the stiction problem disappears.

The problem with the Naniwa lapping stone, much like the Norton version, is that it is meant for Naniwa stones, which are known for their particular softness. It is not an ideal choice for an all-around versatile lapping stone, capable of handling synthetics and naturals alike.

The 3 drawbacks you listed for using the DMT as a lapping stone are not well founded, as many here would attest. I'm not saying that you're dead wrong on all counts, but that there shouldn't be much concern if one chooses the DMT line as a lapping stone of choice.

Originally Posted by ktinch

Norton also sells a flattening stone.

I have the norton flattening stone...works great..used it on my coticule and bbw..even barbers hone...the only thing is is that its fairly aggresive...I used 6oo grit sandpaper after to "smooth things out a bit.

Originally Posted by binder

I would like some advice on what to use for flattening hones. I plan to get a Norton 220/1000 combo or Naniwa stones (do these come in combos?). I've read on using sandpaper. What grit would I need to flatten these hones? Is using sandpaper economical or will I use it up fast? I would be interested in hearing of other alternatives.

I also plan to get a finishing stone for razors. Not sure of what to get at the moment; maybe a barber's hone, or a water stone. I heard the Chinese 12K was a good economical choice, but the Norton and Naniwa are all I've found where I live so far. Can I get one grit for flattening hones or do I need to get more if I go higher: 200 to 10 or 12K hone?

Thanks for help

Since no one has answered your questions, I will. You could use wet/dry sandpaper in the range of 180 to 600. You could go even lower than that if you need more aggressive removal for initial lapping, as would be required for the first lapping of the Norton 4k. You really don't need to go any higher than 600 grit to "polish" your hone, as any scratches in the hone will have no effect during honing anyway. The use of sandpaper is quite economical, much more so than a DMT if you are only going to use it for lapping just a few hones occasionally. It comes down to a matter of convenience, but if you bought $50 worth of sandpaper, that would probably last longer than the lifespan of a DMT8C.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Since no one has answered your questions, I will. You could use wet/dry sandpaper in the range of 180 to 600. You could go even lower than that if you need more aggressive removal for initial lapping, as would be required for the first lapping of the Norton 4k. You really don't need to go any higher than 600 grit to "polish" your hone, as any scratches in the hone will have no effect during honing anyway. The use of sandpaper is quite economical, much more so than a DMT if you are only going to use it for lapping just a few hones occasionally. It comes down to a matter of convenience, but if you bought $50 worth of sandpaper, that would probably last longer than the lifespan of a DMT8C.

I am looking to lap some Japanese naturals and am trying to decide between buying a DMT 325 or using wet/dry sandpaper from 320 grit and progress to 600 grit. Some have suggested that by using sandpaper you run the risk of embedding the sandpaper's grit into your stone. From your experience, do you feel this concern has any validity?

any one else have an opinion?

Thank you very much for sharing any insights or experiences.