Thread: Number of Honings per Lapping

What are the average number of honing sessions after you have lapped your stone(s)? I own a Norton 4k/8K and 12K water stone.

Would you guys say 1? 2? 3 honing sessions per lapping. Thank you.

Hi Stephan,
I think answers here are going to have to be taken with a grain cause it does depend on what you are honing. I notice my yellow loads up quicker for the most part, but I come off a DMT 1200 so the 4000 does not have to work too hard. Also, wedges load the stones way more than real light razors. I try to use lots of water and rub off swarf before resorting to lapping cause I like to make my stone last a s long as I can. I can easily get 2 or 3 before a lap, but it is not dished at that point either So it is more just maintanance lapping. I go way more than that before I have to true up the stone on the DMT.
Mike

I normally hone between 12-24 razors at a sitting. I lap or clean my hones after each sitting. I think that when you see a layer of swarf develop on your hone, you can lap it and bring it back to maximum effectiveness.

Lynn

So many factors to consider...

My 4k side of the norton needed lapped after each use, darn thing is soft. The 8k side didn't wear fast at all and could go alot longer. I have now replaced that stone with naturals and they don't wear fast ether.

We will not go into some of my kitchen knives... they can wear a stone down fast...

Well, I may never hone multiple blades in a setting. Honing to me is like learning cross-wind landings. It will "click" someday, but not today.

So, would this be a close assumption: I have a Dove 5/8 "Silver Steel", so should I lapp every 3rd to 4th honing? Would I notice a change in the water "wake pattern" over the stone when it needs to be lapped? Thanks, everyone.

If you draw a pencil grid on the stone and give it a few swipes on your lapping plate you'll see quickly how close to flat you are.

If you do this before you start and the stone turns out to be flat with the pencil grid quickly removed you'll know that you probably won't need to lap it before every honing session,

Some stones will change due to humidity and temperature variations without considering wear. I live in a high humidity tropical climate so I might notice that more than someone who live in a more stable climate.

I sometimes lap in the middle of a honing session just to clean swarf off of the hone without flat being the prime motivator. Experimenting with your hones will tell you what you need to do.

Originally Posted by sarend

Well, I may never hone multiple blades in a setting. Honing to me is like learning cross-wind landings. It will "click" someday, but not today.

So, would this be a close assumption: I have a Dove 5/8 "Silver Steel", so should I lapp every 3rd to 4th honing? Would I notice a change in the water "wake pattern" over the stone when it needs to be lapped? Thanks, everyone.

Sarend,
An exact number of laps is going to change as Jimmy said with many factors. It really comes down to a matter is your hone still cutting. You can over lap, but you will go through your stone quicker than it needed to. If that does not bother you, you can lap every time or every other time until you learn the feel of the hone. This will happen over time.
Generally when your hone becomes clogged with metal(swarf) you know that it is at least time to get it off with a light lapping or other methods. Hope this helps.
And no I don't think the wake pattern will tell you that much in terms of this question. It would be an issue if there is a low spot on your stone the water will dissappear at that point and then you would be flattening the stone as Jimmy described.
Mike
Mike

i clean the norton 4/8k after every razor. what happens metal peaces clogs up the pores on norton and i hate that. takes too much time to get effect i want from it. as soon as stones colors darkens (black) i clean it up. about 12 k forget about that one ones a year maybe.
hope this helps.

Thanks for all the information. This all good stuff. I keep notes, really. I print-off these threads and the Wiki in order to make a SR file.