Thread: Do I need a lapping/ flattening stone?

I will be working with 1/3/8K stones to set the bevel and hone about 10 antique store SRs. I don't see myself getting into the honing business...so my honing work will be just for my personal razors.

I am trying to keep a minimal kit for sharpening my razors. I am not into procuring a large stock of sharpening tools

Do I need a lapping/flattening stone? If so, can you recommend a reasonably priced stone?

I have a Norton flattening stone and I have been nothing but disappointed with it. If I could do it over I would save the money and lap on 400 grit sandpaper over a granite tile from Lowes/Home Depot. Heck I have the flattening stone and I use sandpaper most of the time anyway. Eventually it wouldn't hurt to get a diamond plate specifically for stone lapping but sandpaper works fine. Just use it wet. You could use other grits but the instructions that came with my Norton stone suggested 400 grit. Works for me.

FYI: One Norton accessory that I have been pleased with is the so-called Norton prep stone. It's sort of like a slurry stone for a Norton. I use mine for when 4000 grit isn't quite enough to get the job done. Then eventually I rinse my stone and go with straight water. The prep stone gives the 4000 side a little more "umph". Don't use it on the 8000 side.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1 to the advice *not* to go with the Norton flattening stone. It really isn't worth it, and I think I've used mine a grand total of one time since I bought it about five years ago. I love my other Norton stones, but that thing is a bit useless IMHO.

Best option: DMT or similar diamond grit plate (for example these: DMT DiaSharp® Stones - Lee Valley Tools ) Do a search for DMT and you'll find a ton of info on them here on SRP.

Sandpaper on top of a flat surface also works really well. Just be sure the 'flat' surface is really flat! I also have used a tile, but if you have a granite slab handy or something similar, it too will work. But things like tabletops, cutting boards, etc., will possibly be a bit wonky.

EDIT: realized I didn't really address the 'reasonably priced' part of your question. Depends on budget of course, but for best bang for the buck, it's tough to beat a granite or marble tile or slab coupled with a supply of wet/dry sandpaper.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

+1 to the advice *not* to go with the Norton flattening stone. It really isn't worth it, and I think I've used mine a grand total of one time since I bought it about five years ago. I love my other Norton stones, but that thing is a bit useless IMHO.

Best option: DMT or similar diamond grit plate (for example these: DMT DiaSharp® Stones - Lee Valley Tools ) Do a search for DMT and you'll find a ton of info on them here on SRP.

Sandpaper on top of a flat surface also works really well. Just be sure the 'flat' surface is really flat! I also have used a tile, but if you have a granite slab handy or something similar, it too will work. But things like tabletops, cutting boards, etc., will possibly be a bit wonky.

EDIT: realized I didn't really address the 'reasonably priced' part of your question. Depends on budget of course, but for best bang for the buck, it's tough to beat a granite or marble tile or slab coupled with a supply of wet/dry sandpaper.

If I go the wet/dry sandpaper route...what grit?

400 grit as per the instruction pamphlet that came with my Norton 4/8k. That's what I go with and it works for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Go with the wet dry sandpaper, as low as 220 as stated above. By the way, the Naniwa flattening stone is also disappointing.

Strait from the Horse's mouth... When in doubt, read the instructions!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yea, stay away from the lapping stones, Norton’s and others, they are messy and just don’t work as well as a Diamond Plate.

Lot of good Diamond plates on the market now and probably what you are paying for is flatness. Extreme flatness is not an issue for honing a razor., The flatter the hone, the more efficient the honing might be, as more of the razor is in contact with the stone, but how would you know?

I have used most all of the plates on the market, from the Harbor Freight and Ebay plates to the Atomas. The Harbor Freights you might pass on as the diamonds are rather lumpy, they do flatten out eventually and can be use on tools, but they are small also.

Ebay has some good plates, I forget the seller but they are a diamond plate company from China and sell plates in a variety of sizes and shapes. Their plates are very good and flat, but shipping is slow.

Currently the best bang for the buck is the Chef Knives to Go, 400/1,000 grit diamond plate for $35. The 140 grit plate is also a great stone lapping plate for natural stones, if you are lapping a lot of stones.

I do, lap a lot of stones, so I do abuse my plates regularly, I have beat on a 300 CNTG plate for a couple years, (think they replaced it with the 400/1k) and it is still going strong.

The DMT 8C has been the gold standard, at about $60, I still have one that is 10-15 years old.

I don’t see any difference in any of them really, though Atomas might be a bit faster. I would recommend the CNTG 400/1k, $35. CNTG is also a good company to deal with and are fast shipping.

Well, I wouldn't call the NORTON flattening stone useless. It just takes prep, like everything else. I bought one so I was determined to make use of it. Now that mine is lapped flat and broken in it does a decent job. The back side (flat, no grooves) is also really good for when I need to bevel/round the edges of a stone - it cut through Arkansas stones to bevel them faster than the DMT. Any time I break out the DMT plate, I pull out the Norton stone too. YMMV.

P.S. I'm not necessarily advocating getting it. But if you're a bit hard headed like me and pick one up anyway, it's best to at least know what it takes to get it to work. It needs to be flattened too, and broken in a bit so it doesn't leave deep gouges in everything. And then you'll still probably be resurfacing your stones with sand paper or SIC after using the Norton lapping stone.