Thread: Lapping hones is tedious

So ive been trying to lapp my Norton combo all day. I got them all done but the 8K. After i got fed up with how long it was taking to lapp the hones, i jumped on here and did some research. I found the thread about the flattening stone not being flat. This almost made me stop but i was (i thought ) halfway done so i just kept at it. Once i get them flat ill never half to do it again and thats a plus.

you can use sand paper on a fat surface.
But the best way to go is DMT 320

The Norton lapping stone has a reputation of not being flat. I used a granite tile and some sandpaper. I eventually got a DMT when I got my PHIG cause there was no way I was going to spend all day with just sandpaper. The Norton stones are fairly soft so if you plan on honing alot of razors you are going to have to do it again eventually. I usually give mine a fresh surface every time I hone. They seem to work better that way to me.

One can usually lap a norton 8 K flat with any DMT 325 in less than 5 mins.
Make a pencil grid,do it under running water using figure 8 strokes,should not be an issue IME.

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Originally Posted by JSmith1983

The Norton stones are fairly soft so if you plan on honing alot of razors you are going to have to do it again eventually. I usually give mine a fresh surface every time I hone..

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DITTO on Mr Smith's advice. Lapping should be done regularly. I check my stones with a pencil grid to make sure they are flat. Flat stone equals flat edge equals nice shave.

Jerry
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I don't find that a sharpening stone doesn't need to be all that flat. It helps, but isn't worth worrying about. That said, sandpaper of sufficient coarsness, a flat surface like a table saw top, granite tile, heavy plate glass, etc. and some elbow grease can work wonders in short order.

I lapped both sides of my Norton with sandpaper face up on a flat surface. Had to go down to 180 grit wet/dry to make reasonable inroads, & then finished with a higher grit (400 on 4K, 1000 on 8K). I'm too tight/skint to fork out for a lapping stone yet - I'd probably just rip the diamonds out of a DMT anyway, I'm clumsy like that.

I watched gsgsix (not sure how he spells it sorry) video on lapping the Nortons and it didnt take hime long. I think thats what i thought was going to happen with mine. I went to SRD and i have the DMT 325 in my wish list. Ill keep at it today and see if i get to hone anything this evening. I have 4 non shave ready ebay specials that i would love to get to.

You'd be surprised what a sheet of 80 grit sandpaper will do to any stone. You have to go up in grit after that, to 220, 400 then 600, but it saves a lot of time.