A good edge readily achievable with a Norton 4k/8k, Naniwa 12k and buffalo strop?

[Brassplyer]

They will not be flat. Always proof flatness with a quality straightedge.

What's a straightedge that's good enough for the task at hand that you recommend?

 

[C FrankC]

I have many tools made by Starrett Co. including a 12" straight edge, they meet me quality standards.

 

[Slash McCoy]

An old trick my Grandpa showed me. Test your straightedge against another one. Match the edges up, with a bright light behind them. Perfect test, right? Nope. You could have a concave edge on one and a convex on the other and they still meet perfectly. So you test each against a third straightedge. If the first two are not straight, one or both MUST show daylight when matched up to the third one. All good? Your straightedges are all reasonably straight and probably more than good enough for checking a stone using the backlight method.

Starrett certainly makes adequately accurate tools for most purposes. My mike is a Starret. My straightedges are mostly noname or Harbor Freight or Home Depot grade, not true machinist tools, though I do have a .0001" certified granite surface plate that is very useful. It sees a lot of duty as a base for sandpaper or lapping film as well as a flatness reference. I can check a straight edge on the granite using feeler gauges and be very confident of its straightness. I can also hone a flat edge onto a short ruler or straightedge if I want, using lapping film on the granite.

 

[bluesman 7]

An old trick my Grandpa showed me. Test your straightedge against another one. Match the edges up, with a bright light behind them. Perfect test, right? Nope. You could have a concave edge on one and a convex on the other and they still meet perfectly. So you test each against a third straightedge. If the first two are not straight, one or both MUST show daylight when matched up to the third one. All good? Your straightedges are all reasonably straight and probably more than good enough for checking a stone using the backlight method.

Starrett certainly makes adequately accurate tools for most purposes. My mike is a Starret. My straightedges are mostly noname or Harbor Freight or Home Depot grade, not true machinist tools, though I do have a .0001" certified granite surface plate that is very useful. It sees a lot of duty as a base for sandpaper or lapping film as well as a flatness reference. I can check a straight edge on the granite using feeler gauges and be very confident of its straightness. I can also hone a flat edge onto a short ruler or straightedge if I want, using lapping film on the granite.

Right

Also realize that sliding a strait edge around on an abrasive stone is generally bad shop practice. The three edge method allows one to use a dedicated straight edge on the stone and compare it to your other straight edges as a standard. The edge contacting the stone can be low quality and when it varies from straight can be corrected on the same stones that caused the inaccuracy.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Right

Also realize that sliding a strait edge around on an abrasive stone is generally bad shop practice. The three edge method allows one to use a dedicated straight edge on the stone and compare it to your other straight edges as a standard. The edge contacting the stone can be low quality and when it varies from straight can be corrected on the same stones that caused the inaccuracy.

Quite true. However I don't have a problem with putting a short and cheap straightedge against lapping film on my granite surface plate. Or a common steel ruler that is not sold as a straight edge in the first place.

 

[Gamma]

What's a straightedge that's good enough for the task at hand that you recommend?

I've been using a simple un-ruled Starrett Straightedge for a long while... I am sure there are other options out there but that's what is in my tool box.

 

[Brassplyer]

All stones need to be flattened. So you need a way to do that. Some use sandpaper on a tile, others use a diamond plate.

Setting bevels on the N4k is do-able but not what I would call a fun time. Back in the 'old days' of the original shaving newsgroups, the N4/8k combo was the go-to option. Followed by Crox on linen.

If the blade in question needs a real bevel-set, then adding a good 1k would be my 1st move.

Can that set up produce a shaving edge?
Plenty of people have used those stones.
I am one of those people. I shaved off that set up early on.
I don't use Nortons anymore.
I have a Nani 12k here but like many of the newer examples it has warping issues. When it behaves it is a decent synth finisher.

More importantly though - why was my avatar 'enhanced' with a white blob?

Since posting this I flattened all my stones on a granite lapping plate. Doing that and going over my razor again with them has yielded a noticeable improvement from sharpening on them without flattening. I taped the spine both times. The edge bevel has a nice mirror reflection, I sense the bevel that it came with from the factory is compatible with my efforts. I got it from The Superior Shave and didn't have him sharpen it so I believe it arrived unchanged from the manufacturer.

When you mention warping with the 12k - you mean the stone itself warps? What will cause that? What's a good way to prevent it?

 

[bluesman 7]

When you mention warping with the 12k - you mean the stone itself warps? What will cause that? What's a good way to prevent it?

Here is an old thread that I started in 2015. Six years on and I'm happy with my decision. I no longer have warping issues.

Naniwa stabilization

I think I'm going to glue my Naniwa SP 8k to a piece of marble tile to keep it flatter. Checking the stone through a honing session with a straight edge and as it is drying shows it moving around quite a bit through what I suspect is uneven water absorption. I don't soak my stones, just spray...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Gamma]

When you mention warping with the 12k - you mean the stone itself warps? What will cause that? What's a good way to prevent it?

Yes, the stone warps. In my case, like a banana. It's been an issue with the Super Stones for a long while. Caused by some sort of manufacturing glitch I suppose. My remedy for this is to not buy Nani Super Stones.

 

[JPO]

I glued mine 8k Super Stone to a slate i cut into shape. It is still not the best 8k tough, but at least it is not warped anymore. People complain about the thin shapton gs. How much can you use of a Super Stone before it gets to thin without any backing. My 12k broke after i dropped it.
The 12k did cut and finish quite well if it was cleaned of any swarf build up. The 8k norton to 12k should work just fine. I think the 8k is closer to a 6k JIS rated stone though.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Master woodworker, instructor, innovator, David Charlesworth uses several 800 grit King stones to teach tool honing, in his hand tool furniture making classes. When they get to about a half inch thick, he glues them to another 800 grit, thin stone and uses every bit of the stone, then gluing that stone to another.

For the last couple years, I have used the Naniwia Fuji 8k in place of the 12k Super Stone. It is capable of about the same finish with out the swarf build up notorious to Super Stones, which must be lapped off or will damage an edge.