Thread: Lapping coti/bbw

Hey,

I was reading threads from way back(2009) talking about the performance of their naturals changing due to the grit used to lap them...Obviously if you leave scratches that would effect it but would polishing a coti or bbw with 2000grit sandpaper improve the level of polish you get from them while honing? What do you experts or experienced people recommend to get the most from your stone? Or is it Foolishness?(beyond 600)

Depends on who you ask. I pretty much stick with 325 but I know a few honers whose opinion I respect who feel the need to go to 1k sandpaper to finish their finishers. If the have the sandpaper give it a try both ways. Hone on it at the 325, or the 600 level and then go to the 1k or 2k and lap it with that and see if it is worth it to you. Let us know how it turns out.

I subscribed to this theory for quite awhile, I used to rub stones together with a 1k to get a slick smooth surface, can you say OCD my wife does quite often

Then I bought the whole Shapton GS set including that insanely expensive DGLP (325 grit BTW) and realized that if a true 30k stone (BTW this is the only stone that is rated that high for real) was supposed to be lapped on a 325 grit plate and that was a good thing then the rest of my much lower grit Stones and Hones would be OK too... I use my Shapton DGLP (325g) and a well worn DMT C (325g) for all my lapping... The only stone I do a very tiny bit differently is my Nakayama but only if I am using a soft Nagura with it....

Honestly I didn't think of testing it, perhaps during my Christmas break i can find the time to test it properly.

So far novaculite is the only type of stone I've found that really changes it's honing characteristics depending on how high you lap it.

Originally Posted by Theseus

So far novaculite is the only type of stone I've found that really changes it's honing characteristics depending on how high you lap it.

Do find it gets 'better' lapping on the higher side ? I've got some Arks but only fool with them when I'm sharpening pocket knives. I keep saying I'm going to try a razor or two on them but never find the time.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Do find it gets 'better' lapping on the higher side ? I've got some Arks but only fool with them when I'm sharpening pocket knives. I keep saying I'm going to try a razor or two on them but never find the time.

Yes, for razors the higher you lap a black/translucent Arkansas, I've found, the better the polish on the edge. I've also found that they work better with harder steels.

Originally Posted by Theseus

Yes, for razors the higher you lap a black/translucent Arkansas, I've found, the better the polish on the edge. I've also found that they work better with harder steels.

I've got a translucent but haven't gotten a black yet. Maybe I'll force myself to give it a try on a razor. I usually use my washita and my soft ark to do the pocket knives. The translucent generally sits in the vintage Pike box looking pretty.

I agree about lapping the arks and CF's with higher grit. I usually go up to 1500 on them and then use a bbw. I like to use higher grits on jnats too, although I have never tested on lower grits so I cant say if it helps for sure. I have used as low as 325 on cotis and as high as 1500 and I couldnt tell a difference in the performance. I do use higher grits on my hybrid cotis, it just looks better without all the scratches from the lower grits, not sure if it actually helps tho

Perhaps the only effect is in the aggressiveness of the stone, the grit size remains the same but it cuts faster due to the rougher more exposed surface. Whereas a smoother stone with higher lapping polish has the same grit size but doesn't cut as fast. Lapping grit level cannot change the size of the abrasive particles right so all it changes is how they are exposed at the surface.