Thread: Lapping with what I've got....

Due to some eBay sales that I wasn't expecting, I've gone and bought Naniwa Superstones in 1K, 3K, 5K and 8K which I intend to use to learn honing over the coming months. None of them have been lapped yet.

Is there anyway I can use a these stones to lap each other, or am I going to also need to pick up a DMT 325 D8C? Looking back on it I think I should have got the DMT 325 D8C instead of the 3K Naniwa, but its done now so I'm just wondiering what I can do...

kD.

You can use Wet/Dry sand paper and a piece of glass or tile. I've never done it since I have a DMT325 but guys do it all the time. FYI i got my DMT off the bay for like $40 or so.

EDIT: just make sure it's not the CC sized one and is the full sized!

I don't have any Naniwa stones, but I did just recently pick up a Norton 4k/8k and a flattening stone. I thought I had lapped the stone ok with the flattening stone, but could still feel some roughness around the edges; no matter what I did with I just couldnt get a smooth finish all over. I was in Homebase the other day and saw some Wet or Dry sandpaper and remembered reading on here that you can lap a stone with that. I picked up a pack of assorted grits/grades and gave it a bash tonight. Wow - what a difference! I really wish I had tried using the wet or dry before buying the flattening stone, as it really is so much better and gives a really smooth finish. Of course, it might have taken a lot longer to lap the stone with just the Wet or Dry, but the paper really has given it a glass-like finish! Give it a bash, for the cost of a pack of wet or dry you can't really go too wrong.

[edit - the flattening stone isn't a DMT of course, but a much cheaper (and less effective alternative)

I haven't used wet/dry sandpaper, but there are a bunch of guys that do and have great results. You could probably use the 1k Naniwa to lap the others, but what are you going to use to lap the 1k? Bear in mind that the 1k is far finer than the D8C, so it could take quite a while to get the others lapped once the 1k is flat. Given what you've already bought, I'd go ahead and spring for the D8C.... it'll make your life a lot easier and it's great for sharpening kitchen knives, too!

A marble 1'x1' tile will cost you about $10, and 400-grit (or 220-grit) wet-or-dry sandpaper is about $1 per sheet.

If money is tight, get the tile and sandpaper -- I _have_ lapped stones that way, and it works fine.

If money isn't tight, get the diamonds.

Charles