Thread: Bought the Norton starter kit, now what do I need?

Your thread has made me excited. Now I want my Norton stones to get here that much faster.

OK, I missed the Hooters waitresses. That would explain a lot. I see that the devil's in the details...

One question about the concept of 'setting a bevel'. I just want to try and get this straight in my head. Is it simply (not implying in any way that it IS simple) running the razor across the stone till both edges meet in a straight line forming the cutting edge? If so, is this done with the regular X stroke? Always spine and cutting edge on the stone (or taped spine) and always moving toward the cutting edge? I've heard talk of doing 'circles', how does this figure in? How do you know when the bevel is set? Using the thumbpad test, etc.?

Can I answer this, as a honing newbie myself, and if I get bits wrong more knowledgeable folk can correct me?

* Yes, setting the bevel is just removing metal from the edges until the planes on either side meet in a sharp 'V' all the way along the cutting edge.

* The x-stroke works, but if you need to remove more steel (because of chips on the edge, for example) a more aggressive pattern like circles will get there faster. (Although - do people distinguish between honing out chips as phase 1 and setting a bevel as phase 2?)

* If you do x-strokes, the edge always goes in front of the spine, but if you do circles, sometimes it goes the other way. (And I've heard of 'back-honing' which is where the spine leads the edge, but I haven't messed with that and can't speak to it.)

* The thumbnail test is a good one once you think the bevel is there - it should be grippy with no bumps all the way along. And then you do a little more on your bevel-setting stone and then don't do the TNT any more, because it dulls the edge. Personally I haven't done the TPT, because I think I'll cut myself. Although it's doubtless useful for people who know what they're doing.

Originally Posted by zib

I'm not one for the lapping film, so I won't comment on that. I've never had trouble with the C12 out of the box, and I've always used a slurry on it, diluting as I go...works fine... Some guys have reported that they vary from stone to stone. They are naturals, so that's true.

I know the pull to buy higher grit stones is great. I would recommend really learning the stones you have first. Especially bevel setting when the need arises. Once you have that down, the rest is gravy as they say. If you absolutey must get a higher grit stone, (And I'm thinking you will) I recommend a Naniwa 12k. They are synthetic and very good stones.
If your Norton lapping plate is flat, I hope it is, it should give you no trouble on the Naniwa 12k. They are very soft. Unless someone knows something I don't.

Good Luck....

I got a PHIG from Amazon. It had a dark vein right across the middle of the stone. You would feel sudden extra drag as you crossed the darker vein. A few strokes and the edge was gone.

I bought another one from a guy in Poland on Ebay. It works fine.