Thread: Using a Norton 1000

Originally Posted by ForestryProf

Joe,
What kind of tape do you use/suggest? Masking, electrical, celophane etc...? Any problem with the abraded tape gumming up the stone? Do you change technique at all while recreating the edge with the spine protected? Finally, I'm assuming the miniscule change in the bevel angle caused by lifting the spine off of the stone by the additional width of the tape is too small to be of any practical difference?

I use the plastic type of electrical tape, it's thinner. Just hone normally, the tape has never caused me a problem.

The tape does change the angle, but this is only roughing out the edge. When you get to the 4K to finish it the angle will be restored. In other words, you'll be grinding it back down to the right angle.

Remember, this is only for extreme cases when a lot of material is being removed. In most cases, you can work normally on the 4K, or use circular strokes to remove material faster.

Originally Posted by ForestryProf

Joe,
What kind of tape do you use/suggest? Masking, electrical, celophane etc...? Any problem with the abraded tape gumming up the stone? Do you change technique at all while recreating the edge with the spine protected? Finally, I'm assuming the miniscule change in the bevel angle caused by lifting the spine off of the stone by the additional width of the tape is too small to be of any practical difference?

Enquiring minds want to know.

Hello Prof,

I use duct tape although any tape will do. Just watch how fast the hone wears thru on the spine.
It does not seem to gum up the hone.
No special technique.
The bevel is corrected on the 4000 hone with about 15 laps.

Hope this helps,

Thanks Joe and Randy,
I've got an ebay No 1 special Double Duck that is in serious need of truing up and nick removal. I'll give the tape a try on my white Arkansas to see if I can get this thing into shape. It's more for practice than anything else. I figure if I can resurect this blade, I can work on just about anything! Wish me luck, I'll try to post some pictures.
Ed

Originally Posted by ForestryProf

Thanks Joe and Randy,
I've got an ebay No 1 special Double Duck that is in serious need of truing up and nick removal. I'll give the tape a try on my white Arkansas to see if I can get this thing into shape. It's more for practice than anything else. I figure if I can resurect this blade, I can work on just about anything! Wish me luck, I'll try to post some pictures.

I don't know what the equivalent grit is, but if you find the going slow, align the blade with the length of the stone and do circular strokes on each side. That goes a lot faster.

It is my understanding (and it FEELS like this is indeed the case) that my White Arkansas is a 1200 grit stone and my Black Arkansas is a 4000 grit. Both are oil stones and both MUCH slower cutting than any of my waterstones. Before buying my Norton 4/8K, these were the finest stones I owned and only used the Black to polish plane irons, chisels, and kitchen knives (after sharpening was pretty well complete). Now they've been relegated back to the woodshop--except when I need to aggressively shape an edge.

Originally Posted by ForestryProf

It is my understanding (and it FEELS like this is indeed the case) that my White Arkansas is a 1200 grit stone and my Black Arkansas is a 4000 grit. Both are oil stones and both MUCH slower cutting than any of my waterstones. Before buying my Norton 4/8K, these were the finest stones I owned and only used the Black to polish plane irons, chisels, and kitchen knives (after sharpening was pretty well complete). Now they've been relegated back to the woodshop--except when I need to aggressively shape an edge.

The grit is more important than important as the speed. It determines the width of the scratch lines and, in turn, the size of the microserrations. Smaller ones will cut more smoothly. 4K may be ok, maybe even necessary, for a tool which needs to have a tougher edge, but it's kind of rough for a razor. Fine finishing barber hones tend to go in the 10K range. So, that gives you an idea of the grit size that has traditionally been sought. The 8K Norton seems to be satisfactory for a lot of people.