Thread: lapping shapton hones with wet/dry sand paper?

I have a similar question as the original poster. My situation is a little different because I'm in Taiwan and don't have access to the same brands as most in the US and in Europe. I'm thinking of getting a touch-up stone, something like a Naniwa 12K Super Stone or a Chinese 12K. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to be easy for me to find that Naniwa here, and I'm not confident in choosing a Chinese 12K without some assistance (assuming I can even find one of those). International shipping is a deal-killer for these things for me.

However, I know where I can get a Shapton 16K Glass Stone locally. The problem is the expensive lapping plate is a deal-killer in itself. I'd like to know if anyone has anything to add to the sandpaper discussion above, whether it be regarding grit, brand, or technique.

(My usage will be ridiculously light. I have one of the new Boker Edelweiss 5/8, and I'll probably get a Tree Brand when it goes on sale. So it'll most likely be two, full-hollow razors. That's it. That's all. I realize that's not a lot of use, but the Shapton still seems like the best option in my situation.)

You might want to contact Tom Blodgett from Jendeindustries.
If I recall correctly he has an office in Taiwan and is a vendor of all things sharpening, as well as a honemeister. Just write him a PM, he´s a member here.

The sandpaper I use is industrial grade Matador brand wet/dry sandpaper. I have a couple of sheets left over from the time when I was working for a German automotive manufacturer.
I don´t think he would use inferior grade sandpaper. For the Shaptons I have used the following progression:

320, 400, 800, 1.500

with normal or light pressure. I have never lapped a Shapton with sandpaper again and it didn´t reoccour. Of course that´s no proof that the sandpaper is to blame, though

Atoma 400 or DMT 325 grit on a duosharp (which are usually pretty flat).

I use those for pretty much every stone I have, which goes from shapton 1000-15000, choseras, j- and chi- naturals, oilstones (the one for oilstones is kept separate), muddy old style clay stones (like the kitayama).

Coarse stones might require a coarser diamond hone to grade them well, but there shouldn't be much use of those on razors, I'd think.

Most of my stones see much more use for woodworking tools, and I dress/flatten them every time i'm in the shop, and before the razors each time.

Many years ago, I used wet and dry sandpaper for kings, which was OK, I guess, but it got to be too much of a hassle. If I were only honing razors, and not that often, I could still tolerate it. On the other side of the coin, I couldn't begin to justify the DLRP, and though I've spent more on (natural) stones than the DLRP costs, I'm still puzzled by it when some of the cheaper diamond hones (a W8 DMT duosharp is often $60 or less delivered if you have some patience to find one). The DGLP is also a no, I don't need the loose grit to chase around waiting to put a groove in a plane iron on a razor, especially not when it costs more than a diamond hone that is flat with diamonds already in it (semi) permanently. That makes the atoma and DMTs a happy medium where the results aren't really mediocre like a lot of happy medium recommendations.

By now you may have already lapped your stones. From that point you can maintain flatness by lapping your 1k with your 6k and your 6k with your 16k. I do this much more often than laping on diamond plates and it maintains stones perfectly for a very long time. If you hone much, just check from time to time that all is flat and turn stones 180 deg now and then while conditioning stones this way.
Do under running water.

Shapton also recommends this as well. Clean off finer stones thouroughly to prevent grit contamination. My stones get used and abused by lots of steel besides razors and this system saves time and keeps them optimum for very long periods before having to put them on a diamond plate.

Kingfish - how does the 1000 come out of the shuffle in that progression? of my shapton pros, the 1000 is the one that most closely resembles a "normal" stone in feel, and is also the one that gets the most wear. I don't use the 5000 a lot unless I'm sharpening something with a flat bevel, but instead go straight to the 15k (this is obviously not what I do with razors, but with tools).

The 5k comes into the mix a lot with japanese tools, because there is no hollow grind or mickey mousing with those to be able to skip right to the finest stone and only work a small bevel.

I use a 325 DMT for lapping everything and it works just fine. There's no need to make things complicated IMHO.

Originally Posted by DaveW

Kingfish - how does the 1000 come out of the shuffle in that progression? of my shapton pros, the 1000 is the one that most closely resembles a "normal" stone in feel, and is also the one that gets the most wear. I don't use the 5000 a lot unless I'm sharpening something with a flat bevel, but instead go straight to the 15k (this is obviously not what I do with razors, but with tools).

The 5k comes into the mix a lot with japanese tools, because there is no hollow grind or mickey mousing with those to be able to skip right to the finest stone and only work a small bevel.

The 1k is going to be lapped with a DMT or Sandpaper. Flat has to start somewhere. As Stu sais you can use the DMT for everything, but I keep up with all my stones regularly before they get dished and rubbing them together keeps them tip top all the time and it is just seconds in my sharpening sessions during progression.

Edit, if you are working much with sharpening other stuff including razors, wait until you try the 1.5k and the 2k Shapton..Unbelievable difference in feel and they are quicker than you would think. Rare for me to use the 1k anymore for anything. If I need to move that much metal I will use DMTs, but I like to stay pretty sharp while working unless chipped edge.

A little confusion ...being new here, had to see who Stu was, so there's Stu and Schtoo.

I know Schtoo reasonably well (who is also named Stu) - had no clue he was on here, but it appears he has flown the coop after being on here for a few weeks back in May.

Originally Posted by DaveW

A little confusion ...being new here, had to see who Stu was, so there's Stu and Schtoo.

I know Schtoo reasonably well (who is also named Stu) - had no clue he was on here, but it appears he has flown the coop after being on here for a few weeks back in May.

You will always be able to tell the difference cause Stu's (aka Subear) spelling words like "favourite" and "aluminium"