Thread: Did I lap properly?

I know you can't really see the flatness of it (it's even and flat). I'm more referring to the way I rounded the edges.




I don't really know what the blue is in the last picture, but I have since got rid of it.

Also the lapped part is notably smoother that the sides of the hone now, is that okay?

I haven't rounded the corners on my stones, so I can't really help there.

For the changes in surface consistancy, you could try using a new piece of sandpaper (assuming you are using sandpaper on a granite tile) for a couple of strokes. I find that sometimes my sandpaper gets a little worn out and the effective grit is higher than stated, giving a smoother finish than I am looking for. I like a 120 grit finish on my 4k stone.

Pics are not there but I can say this.

Draw a grid on your stone with a carpenters square and a sharpie.

I use 100 grit on a 12k Chinese wet and I just go around in circles until the lines are gone. Then if I want to round the edges I just roll the stone on the edge across the sandpaper. Make sure to use a sanding block that is as long as the stone that you are using.

I do the grid with a pencil. The lines don't need to be square since they're just a reference for where the stone is contacting the sand paper.

The slurry may remove pencil on areas where you're close but that's not really an issue. When all the pencil is gone do another quick grid and a couple runs on the paper, you'll see right away if it was the slurry taking the pencil off or not.

I thought about pencil, but I did not want it to wash off. Sharpie stays until it is rubbed off.

Did you have this experience with the pencil?

Originally Posted by singlewedge

I thought about pencil, but I did not want it to wash off. Sharpie stays until it is rubbed off.

Did you have this experience with the pencil?

It doesn't wash off . I wouldn't want to use a sharpie as the stone might absorb some of the ink and it might require removing more material.

The only time the pencil comes off prematurely is when there are parts of the stone that are close to being flat and the built up slurry takes it off. This does take a bit though, the slurry doesn't take it off that fast.

I re-do the grid when all the pencil is removed and rub it a few more times. The pencil on the flat part comes right off and I can now see if there are still pencil marks. I have one coti that I lapped a few times and there is still pencil on one of the corners. (It's a bout and the corner is out of the razors way and would require too much material to be removed to get flat.)

Never experienced the soaking effect of sharpie. I always go over the stone till all the maker is gone, then just give it a few more rubs.

Hasn't impacted the surface at all. No residual ink or spots on the stone.

Originally Posted by JCitron

The only time the pencil comes off prematurely is when there are parts of the stone that are close to being flat and the built up slurry takes it off. This does take a bit though, the slurry doesn't take it off that fast.

I re-do the grid when all the pencil is removed and rub it a few more times. The pencil on the flat part comes right off and I can now see if there are still pencil marks. I have one coti that I lapped a few times and there is still pencil on one of the corners. (It's a bout and the corner is out of the razors way and would require too much material to be removed to get flat.)

I lap mine under running water so no slurry builds up. As long as it is flat you did it right. I have never rounded my corners.

Having learned how to post pictures, here's a photos of the rounded edges. Does it look okay?