Thread: got my 4000/8000, now what?

well my mom got me the stone for x-mas, and i have never used one before, i have a few razors that i dont used, from antique stores, just for practicing, so i dont ruin my nice one...

what steps should i go through...anything for breaking in a new stone? lapping?

advice

thanks
b

Well, there's a school of thought that you should lap before using even a new hone. I didn't and it was fine but now that I recently lapped it I do notice a difference and not because of the previous wear so I think I would recommend lapping first. I have a Shapton honing plate but a piece of glass and some sandpaper will do just fine. For a new hone about 1000 grit sandpaper should do it.

I believe there are some help files here addressing honing technique but all it takes is practice. The general consensus is an X pattern on the hone with as little pressure as possible leading with the edge of the blade is the way to go. Various people have their own way of doing it and there are variations like circular honing and using a rocking motion or backhoning etc for special situations but if I were you I would start with a razor bought cheap off Eboy to practice on. Learn the X pattern its the basic move. Just flip the razor on its spine never the edge and use steady motion. Its important to keep the razor stable. Start very slowly and have alot of patience.

"IF" ypou decide to lap that Norton hone then do the following.

1. Find a hard, flat surface such as a countertop, piece of glass or marble or granite etc

2. Buy some wet/dry sandpaper, 600-1000 grit

3. Wet the sandpaper liberally on both sides

4. Place the sandpaper on the hard surface

5. Take the hone and lay it flat on the sandpaper

6. Rub the sandpaper approx 10-15 time in a straight back and forth motion.

7. Turn the hone over and look to see if there are any spots on the hone that have not made contact with the sandpaper.
If there are then put the hone back down on the sandpaper and perform 25 laps using an X pattern. Examine the hone again. Repeat until the hone has the same texture and color all over. Keep the sandpaper very wet.

8. Place the hone under running water and rub it with a nylon pad, brush or your fingers to remove any loose particles from the hone or leftover particles from the sandpaper. This step is important. Don't omit this step.

Hope this helps,

I concur, lap that thing. You don't need to do it much, just take the rough edges off of the tiny abrasive particles. The 4000 side at least, I wouldn't worry so much about the 8000 side. .....Jeff