Thread: Norton Lapping Stone?

Has anyone used one of the Norton lapping stone?

I'm pretty sure its just a large 220 grit stone with grooves cut into it. It worked great on my 4k/8k and I was wondering if anyone has ever used it to lap a barber's hone.

Be careful. Some of these barber hones are fairly hard and may damage your lapping stone.

Talk to Joe Chandler about his experience with the Norton lapping stone.

I would not use it to lap a barber hone. Use sandpaper on a flat surface for that.

Honestly, I was all hyped up and pleased with my NFS when I first got it. Then, I lapped my stones on a glass plate with lapping compound, and figured out real quick that it gets them waaaaay flatter than the NFS, much easier, and cheaper to boot. You can get the glass plate, 10mil mylar sheet (highly recommended, unless you want to "wear in" your glass plate where the lapping compound will bind up in the glass and cut your stone), and lapping compound from Lee Valley Tools. Some guys use the the Shapton lapping plate, which is apparently the ultimate, but very expensive, and probably doesn't get your stones any flatter than the glass plate. (P.S. NFS=Norton Flattening Stone)

I have one, and I've found that by the time it gets the fine stones flat it roughs up the surface too much.

I'm getting excellent results using 600 grit wet paper on a $30 Woodcraft 2" granite surface plate. There's a world of difference in the surface of the stones after lapping this way compared to that flattening stone.

Thanks for the info gents.

I'll go with the lapping plate/compound.

I have the NFS, so may use that to do the initial flattening and then go to the lapping plate with the higher grits and to get it smooth - does that sound like a decent approach?

No. The barber hone is *much* harder than your NFS, so you'll wind up lapping the NFS with the barber hone rather than the other way around.

Originally Posted by Joe Chandler

You can get the glass plate, 10mil mylar sheet (highly recommended, unless you want to "wear in" your glass plate where the lapping compound will bind up in the glass and cut your stone), and lapping compound from Lee Valley Tools.

Is mylar a brand? or a special type of glass?

Mylar is a type of clear plastic sheeting that's also a good energy insulator. Very popular in hydroponic gardens growing tropical plants.