Thread: Atoma 400 lapping question

Just got an Atoma 400 for lapping my Naniwa 12k stone. Do I need to lap the atoma before using it? And if so what should I use?

I would use a screwdriver shank or chisel shank. A few back and forth laps with slight pressure should knock down any high points.

Just sharpen a couple of kitchen knives on it. And bevel the corners of your stones. They do make a weird sound as the diamonds are in uniform clusters and not random like other plates.

Feel the edges of the Atoma for sharp diamonds. If it feel sharp, run a low grit stone on the edges to smooth it out.

Lap a high grit stone very lightly, and see if it leaves any scratches on the stone surface, If so, sharpen another knife, go slow and you will feel any high diamonds. Work that spot until smooth.

There is a little conjecture on using diamond plates to lap synthetic and natural stones. For example it is not recommended to use a Atoma 1200 to lap a Gok 20k, however Stuart Tierney of Tools of Japan, is happy for us to use the 400. I personally have a different set up, and recently I obtained a Naniwa #1000 grit diamond whetstone. This is an expensive stone, and I bought it as an adjunct to the Atoma 1200 to set bevels on razors needing work. I have a #400 Atoma that is worn, so I replaced it with a #600 plate and I use it to lap the hard jnats. Google Naniwa Diamond Whetstones, they sell four, from #220 to #1000, #3000 and a #6000. They are reportedly slow to abrade, avoiding the problems sometimes had with Atoma plates having diamond clusters break free and lodge in stones. The vendor tells me this is not a problem for these whetstones. He also recommends them for 'dressing' natural stones. They are a high end whetstone, if you can call diamond plates whetstones, but these look nothing like a DMT or an Atoma, google them, you'll be interested.

bobski
Is the Naniwa 1K Diamond Whetstone a diamond plate?
I tried to fine information on this but failed, can you tell me what vender you contacted and can you describe what this product is like?

Thanks
Frank

I bought it in Australia from Japanese tools Australia, and when googling it, it appears on Amazon and a number of other sites including Naniwa Abrasives own pdf, it's a DR-7510, so key in Naniwa Diamond Whetstone grit #1000 DR-7510.

The Naniwa diamond hones are sintered resin bond hones - they are covered with a layer of diamond grit mixed with resin binder. More info here:

Naniwa Diamond Waterstones Review. | BladeForums.com

Thanks bobski and Eric!

Bob,

Have you compared the stria from that 1k to a 1k diamond plate and to a 1k stone?

It would be interesting, but pricy for you guys with the tax. I don’t know of usefulness of diamonds in the higher grits, for all but the 1k.

The Chinese version at $50 may be worth trying. For most a 1k Diamond Plate would be more versatile. I have been using/ (beating) a CNTG 400/1000 grit, $35 plate for a while now, I also use an Atoma 1200 for final finishing on some stones and for slurry.

The Chinese also make a 12,000 version… don’t know why you would need it, but would be interesting to see the finish.

I don’t think I would use the Naniwa to slurry a natural stone.

I gave this whetstone a go, just to test it's usefulness as an alternative to the Chosera 1k for bevel setting. A member here mbrando also the vendor of The Restored Edge, Mike, he sets a lot of his bevels using diamond plates. I know purists cringe at that thought, but I've shaved with Mike's edges and they are first class. He explained to me that setting a bevel should be a one shot thing, in other words, once you've set it, you can forget having to do it again. I gave it a go with an Atoma 400, found it very harsh, so I tried with the Atoma 1200, it works but stria are still heavy. Heavy enough, you need to spend a while on a 2,3,5k stone. So does it defeat the purpose. I don't know for sure, but the Naniwa Diamond whetstone we are talking about is not as harsh on the steel as is the Atoma 1200. I'm playing with it at the moment,and I'll let you guys know what I think of it once I've done a few on it. It's expensive and is not for everyone, I'd call it a cross between a diamond lapping plate and a Chosera 1k.