I was originally planning on getting Norton's lapping stone to use on the Norton 4K/8K. I was thinking, if I decide to get another hone that isn't a Norton, wouldn't I have to get a different lapper? So now I just thought of the DMT 325 stone. I was wondering if I could use the DMT 325 on different brands of hones. So if I have a Norton 4K/8K and decide later to get a Naniwa 12K or Shapton 16K, could I use the DMT 325 to lap all of them?
DMT 325 lapping stone or Norton lapping stone?
- Thread starter raccoonandbrush
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When I had my Norton kit it came with the Norton lapping plate, and it was terrible. I think popular opinion seems to think it's inferior to a DMT. If you bump up to a DMT 600 it will take longer to use as a lapping plate on certain stones, but you have the added benefit of using it for bevel correction on eBay specials.
I have the Norton but do prefer a glass plate with wet/dry sand paper to it. Not that I don't still use it for a quick touch up now and again.
325 can be used on all the hones you listed.
- Thread starter
- #5
Even the Shapton? Because I heard that the DMT 325 is good for waterstones. Is a Shapton considered a waterstone?
Shaptons will lap just fine with diamond plates. DMT advise to not use finer than the 325 for lapping.
- Thread starter
- #7
Sweet! Time to order me a DMT 325!
If I were buying a stone for lapping, I'd want a 10x4" DMT XXC/C duosharp. But I don't think they make those.
That said, DMT is the way to go. I've heard mostly bad things about the Norton lapping stone, and almost everyone with DMT's seems happy with their performance as lapping stones.
That said, DMT is the way to go. I've heard mostly bad things about the Norton lapping stone, and almost everyone with DMT's seems happy with their performance as lapping stones.
Another nice plate is the Atoma by Tsuboman. The surface is arranged in a regular pattern of pimples that prevent the stone sticking to it. They come in grits from 140 -1200. The 1200 is great for making slurry on almost any stone. They are quite light in the hand. The thin steel diamond coated plate is glued to an aluminium block & is replaceable but they don't wear out real quick.
I use a DMT8C to lap my Shapton glass stones -works great. I've owned the Norton lapping stone and it leaves a very rough surface on the hones. I would never touch it to a Shapton.
Hi Everyone~
This is my first posting. I'm knocked out with the depth and sincerity and outright helpfulness of these posts. I bought three straight razors about 40 years ago; never honed them properly; and gave up. Now, I'm retired ... more patient and smarter too, I hope ... and ready to have another go at all-things-straight-razor.
Recently, I bought an EXCELLENT DMT 325. I lapped my new collection of hones with no trouble, then I eyed my Case Ceramic Moon Stone ... VERY hard and smooth. I was wondering if I could use that moon stone for touch up, after shaving? It was kinda smeary from prior use, so I put the DMT 325 to it. Got mixed results: the moon stone cleaned up and flattened out. (I still don't know what grit it is or whether it would work as a touch up stone for my razor?) But it looks like my moon stone attacked my DMT 325, by creating freckle-like spots here and there (maybe 1-2 percent of the total DMT surface). I looked at these spots under my hand-microscope and it looks like the diamond abrasive is GONE from those areas.
First, I've stopped using the DMT 325 on my moon stone, but I have gone back to using it on my other hones. It seems to be working fine on them, even with less than a full amount of diamond abrasive.
Here's my question: Can a DMT 325 continue to work, as designed, when missing a few bits of its surface? I feel like a real dummy, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. This straight razor world is a new place for me. I'm not afraid to try things. I know, sometimes I'll move ahead ... sometimes I'll go in reverse. But I do look forward to learning from this excellent forum and to adding what I can of value to it.
This is my first posting. I'm knocked out with the depth and sincerity and outright helpfulness of these posts. I bought three straight razors about 40 years ago; never honed them properly; and gave up. Now, I'm retired ... more patient and smarter too, I hope ... and ready to have another go at all-things-straight-razor.
Recently, I bought an EXCELLENT DMT 325. I lapped my new collection of hones with no trouble, then I eyed my Case Ceramic Moon Stone ... VERY hard and smooth. I was wondering if I could use that moon stone for touch up, after shaving? It was kinda smeary from prior use, so I put the DMT 325 to it. Got mixed results: the moon stone cleaned up and flattened out. (I still don't know what grit it is or whether it would work as a touch up stone for my razor?) But it looks like my moon stone attacked my DMT 325, by creating freckle-like spots here and there (maybe 1-2 percent of the total DMT surface). I looked at these spots under my hand-microscope and it looks like the diamond abrasive is GONE from those areas.
First, I've stopped using the DMT 325 on my moon stone, but I have gone back to using it on my other hones. It seems to be working fine on them, even with less than a full amount of diamond abrasive.
Here's my question: Can a DMT 325 continue to work, as designed, when missing a few bits of its surface? I feel like a real dummy, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. This straight razor world is a new place for me. I'm not afraid to try things. I know, sometimes I'll move ahead ... sometimes I'll go in reverse. But I do look forward to learning from this excellent forum and to adding what I can of value to it.
Welcome to B&B. Nice first post resurrection.
i think the DMT will be fine. Did you try giving it a good scrubbing? Sometimes on hard stones the DMT can load up in places giving the appearance that diamonds are missing.
Or it could just be a few high diamonds that got removed (which needed to happen), but 1-2% seems a little high. Can you post a pic of the plate?
i think the DMT will be fine. Did you try giving it a good scrubbing? Sometimes on hard stones the DMT can load up in places giving the appearance that diamonds are missing.
Or it could just be a few high diamonds that got removed (which needed to happen), but 1-2% seems a little high. Can you post a pic of the plate?
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I hate the Norton Lapping Stone, but love my DMT 325 and Atoma 1200, and one day hope to get a Atoma 400 for the other side of my 1200
If you get a Norton one you might have to lap that before you can use it! I hear alot of comments of folks getting them and they are not flat!
Plus they don't stay flat. It's really a cruel joke. You need a way to keep the stone flat that your using to keep your hones flat. hahahaha
Norton lapping stones work - they just need work to stay flat. The guy who was selling Creatan hones used one exclusively and he lapped way more stones than most people will ever handle.
Yeah, it seems like Norton would fix this by selling ones that ARE flat, otherwise they get money for something that isn't what it should be. I too find this to be somewhat ridiculous as if I had one and it wasn't flat, I would NOT buy more stuff to flatten it myself, I would have sent it back and got the refund and bought the DMT.
That might be so but based on what folks say about the Norton flattening stone, I would choose a DMT 325 without a doubt!
That definitely is so.
I would choose a diamond plate 1st myself - they're an easier albeit more expensive option. That's why I have about 6 or 7 of them and zero Nortons.
At the end of the day though - the Norton will get the job done and, from what I understand, they stay flat a good long while when used correctly. The key word there is 'correctly'. Someone on a budget that got one in a set would be able to make due with one for a good long while. As an add-on option for someone not needing to lap alot of stones often - my 1st choice would be I'd go with w/d and a flat plate of some sort. Even though I have a pile of diamond plates, most of my lapping is done on w/d.
