Thread: What to use for flattening hones?

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.