Thread: Lapping a 4k/8k Norton...

What do you use to lap one of these? A DMT? What sort?
Is it ok to slurry it with a Chinese 12k slurry stone?

I apologize sincerely for not using the search function. I fully expect to be railed for such an obvious faux pas.

As I'm sure most of you have deduced, I'm new to honing (like, embarassingly new), but my Boker has gone dull on me and its the perfect opportunity for me to learn how to give a good edge.

I currently have in my posession:

1 - unlapped 16k Shapton glass waterstone (useless to me atm)

1 - lapped 12k chinese hone

1 - 12k chinese slurry stone

And I intend to pay a visit to woodcraft today to pick up the norton 4k/8k and something to lap it with. They have DMTs there, so I was thinking of picking one of those up...

Any suggestions?

Nevermind.
I used the search function and pretty much answered every question I had except whether it was ok to slurry with a 12k chinese on something other than 12k chinese.

I have never used the CH12k slurry stone, however I have used just about every other thing on a N4k even including a Translucent Arkansas to raise a slurry with and everything has worked...
Woodcraft has a synthetic Nagura stone that is really designed for use on the Nortons and Kings...BTW...

For "normal honing," you can make a slurry with anything so long as the slurry stone is the same grit or finer than the stone you are making the slurry on (the exception is using something like a DMT, which doesn't break down, to make a slurry, in which case the grit doesn't matter).

Perfect.

I got the Norton 4k/8k and a Norton flattening stone which should do for now. Hopefully, I'll get some good results today.

I'm planning on working on a Boker carbon steel and a Dovo Ivory Mikarta, which is stainless. We'll see how it goes.

I'm not sure why your Shapton 16K is useless. If your blade was shave ready before it became dull the 16K should bring it back unless you damaged your blade some how. You can get your hones flat with wet and dry sandpaper and a flat surface. Just make sure you cleanse your hone with running water and a 3M Scotch Pad before using.

bj

I lap my Nortons using the Norton lapping stone. It sure seems like a wicked thing but it does a great job flattening those other stones out. The only complaint I have is that it take forever to get the 8K lapped. Even a Chinese 12K seems faster to lap.

Originally Posted by AirColorado

I lap my Nortons using the Norton lapping stone. It sure seems like a wicked thing but it does a great job flattening those other stones out. The only complaint I have is that it take forever to get the 8K lapped. Even a Chinese 12K seems faster to lap.

You said it, man.

My shoulders were killing so bad I had to switch off from one hand to the other with the flattening stone at the bottom of the sink. And I had to leave the hone soaking every once in a while so I could take breaks...

All told, it probably took a good 45 minutes or an hour of scrubbing the hone against the flattening stone on the 8k side. And I still show a little pencil marking on the corners - I could've rolled up my sleeves and tried to flatten all the way to the corners, but diminishing returns, etc.

Do you use the Norton flattening stone to lap your 12k also?

Would you use it to flatten a Shapton 16k?

Originally Posted by ZMKA

Do you use the Norton flattening stone to lap your 12k also?

Would you use it to flatten a Shapton 16k?

One of the best favors I ever did myself was selling my Norton flattening stone and buying a DMT D8C 325 continuous diamond plate. No worries flattening any stone above 1k now.

Hey man, keep your eye on the norton flattening stone..it eventually starts to wear away in the middle...which subsequently warps your 4k8k...you will then have to lap the flattening stone.