Thread: Lapping my 8k????

Originally Posted by dtrain17

I always lap my 1k and 4k norton stones. I use the lapping stone that came with my Norton 220/1k, 4/8k set I got from SRD. Should I be lapping my 8k stone as well? It's the last stone I finish with until I go to hard felt loaded up with chromium oxide......thnx.

All stones need lapping, more often or less. The only thing is that lapping stone will not be enough. I use thick glass with sandpaper fixed on it by scotch. It gives very even quality surface for lapping of any stone. As for the sandpaper, I use progression of 600-800-1200. Result is perfect from 1K grit to 15K grit.

From the replies above it seems like I need to start using some high-grit sandpaper after using my lapping stone. Thanks gents, much appreciated!

One more thing about the lapping...you need to make sure your lapper is flat. Over time the relatively soft Norton lapping hone will become unevenly worn due to its contact with the non-flat surface of your hones. You can lap it with wet/dry sandpaper and water on a flat surface like a countertop.

Or you can rub it against the 1k after both are lapped just do light reversing circles under running water and rinse both very well after .....

I lap my norton with a 325 DMT, is it really necessary to go finer? If I remember right, a lot of people said that they only use the DMT and it is fine that way.

Yes, it is perfectly fine that way. Don't worry.

Originally Posted by jeness

I lap my norton with a 325 DMT, is it really necessary to go finer?

Not at all; the DMT is all you need for the synthetics. For hard naturals (Jnats & probably others also), you do want to go finer, but for synthetics, you're just wasting your time/money. Shapton's expensive DGLP is only 325 grit & they recommend using it on their superfine 30K (my guess is you really don't need it even then, but the point is, even then, you don't need to go finer.)

A lot of us are big fans of the DMT 325 (you don't have to buy it now or anything, but in the future you might want to). It never needs lapping & doesn't have to keep being replaced like sandpaper.

I used to do the high grit lapping,,, going from the 1k to the 4k from the 4k to the 8k etc: etc:
But after I bought the Shapton set and realized that the DGLP was actually rated at 325 (as posted above) I stopped being obsessive and really never noted a difference at all... I use either the DGLP or the DMT 325 (now more a 575 ) for everything

You guys are AWESOME. Honed up 4 razors last night that I acquired not to long ago (Genco, Torrey "Our 146", a Crown round point, and finally a Dorko 88) and used the lapping methods above on my Norton hones. Wow, what a difference. I used the progression of some wet sandpaper that Zelenbakh mentioned above. BIG difference in the overall feel after using sandpaper to lap comparfed to just my Norton lapping stone. I sanded/lapped each hone in between razors and it was like the blades got sucked down to the hones when doing my passes, completely different feel.

I still consider myself quite a novice honer but I just shaved with the Dorko 88 after honing her up............I think I have a new favorite. I usually prefer smaller blades and the Dorko 88 (in my novice opinion) is a hefty girl compared to the razors I usually shave with...... but what a great shave! I'm SMITTEN!!!! So I guess you might go out on an edge (pun intended) and say YES, I DIG FAT CHICKS!

Great to hear your success, well done!