Thread: Lapping a lapping stone???

i do wonder though if after a while you would need to lap your lapping stone...do they wear down?

Norton says that heir stone has to be reflattened after extended use.

My attempt to check the diasharp after extended use was foiled.

In the old days before concrete sidewalks you needed a straight edge with the process of rubbing two out of flat stones together- but you also needed a straightedge to check your straightedge

I use a shapton flattening plate which is very hard steel. I don't think it will ever need flattening. You would probably have to in the honing business before you needed to re-flatten a plate or flattening hone. By that time I would probably just buy a new one rather than deal with the hassles of trying to get it perfectly straight.

Thanks for the input everybody

Im going to try to get a norten set and wondering if that needs to be lapped first. I guess not cause its made for lapping. But you would also asume that they make there hones flat to...?

+Buckler

Originally Posted by Buckler

Thanks for the input everybody

Im going to try to get a norten set and wondering if that needs to be lapped first. I guess not cause its made for lapping. But you would also asume that they make there hones flat to...?

+Buckler

For about $20 U.S. additional from what the Norton lapping plate costs, I would recommend you purchase a DMT D8C 325 grit diamond lapping plate. It will last for years our outlast you if you're just lapping a small number of stones and it doesn't need to be lapped (you couldn't if you tried). You can also use it to sharpen knives, chisels, etc.

Chris L

I am quite disappointed in the Norton Lapping stone. I lapped my Chi12K, and 2 Arkansas stones, and it is dished already. I'm buying a DMT.

Nortons do have to be lapped first as they do not come from the factory flat. I use a DMT 8" coarse continuous diamond to do the lapping. I carry the Norton lapping stones and they should be fine for lapping Nortons without having to be lapped themselves. Rubbing two stones together like that tends to flatten both and usually to a spec flatter. The important thing to remember when lapping is to use the whole stone and not just the center. That's what leads to "dishing" and other problems.