Thread: Hone lapping

Hi Honemaisters,

I was wondering how often should i do lapping for the Norton combo stone?

I know that it depends on how often you hone, but is there a ratio, say 10 hones 1 lapping session, or you can tell by the look of the hone, wich by the way, developed some spots on the white side (2-5mm) and there is some blackish markings on the yellow...

thanx

For an average user just maintaining their own razors, you may NEVER need to lap a new Norton, given honing is a couple-of-times-a-year event, at most. But if you're given to picking up eBay strays and orphans, like me, you find yourself spending significant time stroking them back to health.

Rather than a raw number, I'd suggest setting the stone on a glass table-top (carefully) and backlighting it. When you can see a gap, lap it. The 4k side is lots softer than the 8k side and will need attention more often.

Lets make a distinction between cleaning and lapping.

The spots or dark streaks you see on the hone are metal filings that need to be cleaned off.
Just put the hone under some running water and use either your fingers, a brush or a scotchbrite nylon pad and rub off the marks.

Lapping is a more severe action. It is usually done because the hone is no longer flat and has a dished portion or some other irregularity. I have been gently lapping my Nortons after about 10 razors. That is probably overkill but I REALLY! DON"T WANT TO WASTE MY TIME!

Always clean, if in doubt then lap.

Just my two cents,

Well I'm no honemeister by a long shot, but would like to recommend anyone using barber hones to lap them with another hone of the same grit and composite material. Hence, I lap my Homemaster with a fine grit velvet; my Austrain Swaty with another Swaty or my Apart. etc..

Hal

I should also add: I do not lap my hones only when needed to restore a flat surface. To remove metal residue I use a Scotchbrite kitchen pad with running water. The pad is hard enough to remove the metal, but soft enough to have little effect on the honing surfaces.

Hal

Hal, I like your advice to lap with like kind stones whenever possible. It would be a nice finishing step and also avoid cross contamination of abrasive grits.

Now if someone would just tell me an EASY! way to lap an Arkansas stone , a carborundum or an India stone without it taking an hour for each stone please let me know. The only thing I have not tried is a coarse diamond hone.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Hal, I like your advice to lap with like kind stones whenever possible. It would be a nice finishing step and also avoid cross contamination of abrasive grits.

Now if someone would just tell me an EASY! way to lap an Arkansas stone , a carborundum or an India stone without it taking an hour for each stone please let me know. The only thing I have not tried is a coarse diamond hone.

You can lap a softer Arkansas stone with a harder (flatter) one. But a diamond-dusted hone on it's sythentically flat base is an ideal tool for all these other stones ...... or just tie 'em to the back of the pick-em-up on your next trip to the hardware store ink:

I will bet for the average guy David is right. We just don't hone enough to need to lap the stone. Clean it yes lap it probably not for a few years.

Today i decided to do a little lapping on my Norton 4/8K, to get that black markings from my SS blade. Well, and see what it is like

I noticed that after couple of light circular moves on the 800 grit wet sandpaper on glass, the 8000 side was clean, and suprisingly, much smoother than when it was brand new. The surface was velvet like on touch. I think it is good idea to lap the stone when purchased, since the blade/grit that cuts the stone in the factory doesnt leave very smooth surface.

Also, when i did a couple of light strokes on my new/old DDSatinedge (sorry David, couldn't stand not to i noticed the black gunk slurry forming almost imidiately. With my SS Blade that was not the case. I havent manage to get the slurry at all, but i got the blade sharpened eventualy. On my 4000 side, there are still no markings at all. So, work harder(longer) on the stainless steel blades.

I usually use a pumice stone to lap and clean my norton as well as my barber hones. Lynn