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

Have any of you ever lapped the shapton 1000/6000/16000 glass stones with sandpaper? If so, what grit is recommended?

And even if not, I'd be interested in knowing if you advise for or against it. (As opposed to using Shapton Glass Diamond Lapping Plate, which is pretty spendy)? Or is there an alternative GDLP that I could use?

Thanks

I use the Atoma plates, 400 grit for flattening 1200 grit for smoothing. Another alternative most use is the DMT C plate (325 grit).
Because of the Atoma's pimpled surface, stiction is not much of an issue compared to the DMT's .

I've used 1500 grit sandpaper on both the 16K and 30K Shaptons, and it seems to have worked fine.

In the long run, you'll spend far more on sandpaper than you would on a DMT (they last years!) or even Atomas after a while. Then you have to worry about holding it to a flat surface, squeezing air bubbles out, etc. whereas the DMT already is flat. You also don't have to worry about grit particles coming loose & lodging in your stones.

I was using sandpaper in the beginning too, but the diamond plate is really worth its price. If you already have the shaptons, than spend that extra little money on a DMT8C to get the best out of them. It is much more convenient to lap anything with a diamond plate than sandpaper.

The only problem with sandpaper is when people use to much pressure while lapping. Then some of the abrasive grains might become embedded in the hone.

The other factor new guys need to ask themselves is just how often are you going to perform lapping? If it is only seldom then the DMT would be overkill. BTW.... not all DMT plates are flat but the factory has replaced defective ones in the past.

The only problem with sandpaper is when people use to much pressure while lapping. Then some of the abrasive grains might become embedded in the hone.

I believe this is what happened to me. My Shapton 16k (as well as my Shapton Pro 12k) left some really nasty scratches. I believe this was due to the lapping with Sandpaper.
It stopped as soon as I started lapping with the DMT 325. I would reinvest in it any time again!

But a lot of guys seem to be fine with sandpaper and their shaptons, so give it a try butif you can afford it, get the DMT 325

Originally Posted by Lesslemming

I believe this is what happened to me. My Shapton 16k (as well as my Shapton Pro 12k) left some really nasty scratches. I believe this was due to the lapping with Sandpaper.
It stopped as soon as I started lapping with the DMT 325. I would reinvest in it any time again!

But a lot of guys seem to be fine with sandpaper and their shaptons, so give it a try butif you can afford it, get the DMT 325

Hi,

I'm very curious as to this phenomenon and would like to know any/all details as to how it might have happened if you don't mind telling me.

Specifically, how much pressure, what was the paper (brand/quality), how was the paper held down, wet/dry/other, how much contamination do you think occurred (few bits, scattered, everywhere and lots of it), etc, etc.


Just something to file away for those times when someone asks about flattening/lapping/conditioning with sandpaper.

Thanks, I hope!

Stu.

I'd also recommend just buying a DMT. Easier, cheaper in the long run, and its useful on its own for razor repair and tools. I've even used it to sand and file different things.

I have the DMT 325 and still prefer sandpaper for all my hones. I have a pane of glass on a counter top for flatness, and just wet it, lay the sandpaper on it, wet that and off I go. I have never seen a particle of sand
get imbedded in the stones, and with the 16K and 30K stones that kind of thing would be pretty obvious. I use the DMT to do my fingernails and toenails.