Thread: Norton kit arrived!! One question...

My Norton kit with the 320/1000 and 4000/8000 stones arrived today. While I was at lunch I soaked and lapped the 4k/8k stone.

The question: Is it all that unusual for the stones to arrive from the factory out-of-true? Both the 4k and 8k side needed a fair amount of honing to true them up.

Edit to add: I've got a glass slab that I borrowed from a friend - I'm going to do a "stiction test" with the 4k/8k to make sure they're truly flat. In 20/20 hindsight (is there any other kind?) I realize I *should* have checked that first...

I've lapped several, and all were off to some degree. My guess is that they use a mold to shape them, and the molds aren't perfect. I don't think it matters as much for most other applications.

Good luck!
Josh

Thanks, Josh - it's a relief knowing that it's not an uncommon occurrence to have to flatten out a brand new stone... *whew*

Yeah, that can be a little bit of a chore with sandpaper, too. I've seen them dished in the middle and also high in the middle. You never really know until you start flattening...

Josh

Mine were dished... as I said, they're back at the room soaking, so I'll check them against that glass slab once I'm off work.

The bad part is going to be if they're NOT flat...because that means my flattening stone isn't level...and the PX doesn't carry wet/dry sandpaper!!

I've never figured out whether that's true or not, actually. (Warning: Speculation to follow.)

If a flattening stone is somewhat uneven, I would think that the fact that you're rubbing the hone on it in big circles or figure 8s would compensate for this. It might help to make sure you rotate the hone around 180 degrees and lap the other direction, too.

Has anyone ever found that a non-flat flattening stone will make a hone un-level? (Going for the question of the week award with that one... )

Josh

That's a good point!!!

Well, they seemed to be flat... had a good "grip" on the glass slab, anyway.

I could *NOT* for the life of me get an edge going, though... I was doing the 'aggresive' pyramid and the edge just didn't seem to improve - the bevel seems even across the entire edge so far as I can tell (microscope on order).

People talk of getting HHT to work off the 4k - I've never been able to get that to date (my hair is very fine, except for my beard). Should I just concentrate on the 4k until I get some sort of cutting action (HHT or arm) and then move to the pyramids?

While you are honing, do you tape the spine? Some folks leave the spine taped. To me it sounds like the bevel needs work. I use a regular smithfield sharppening stone, the kind you get for less than 10 bucks, to set the bevel first, Then go to work with a Norton. I have never heard of a flattening stone not being true, by the way.

Phil

I had the spine taped, yes... the bevel seemed even, at least as far as I could tell (I don't have a 'scope yet, it's on the way).