Lapping a C12K

[Spivey]

I have a new C12K from Woodcraft. I'm pretty excited as this is my first stone.

I haven't used it because I assume that it needs to be lapped. I don't have a lapping stone and I'd rather not spend too much money to get the (inexpensive) stone flattened. It seems like most of the lapping stones cost nearly as much as the stone itself.

I've read about using 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper: is this a viable solution?

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[lamontqsanford]

For the C12K I would go to your local auto parts store and get some 220 wet/dry and start with that. It will take a few sheets. Once you have it lapped use some of the 600wet dry and lap it again. Just make sure you use a flat surface and some water on the paper. I would love to tell you that it is fun but with the C12K it is painful and takes a while. I did mine in 2 stages.

 

[Spivey]

Thanks, Tracy. With that process, do I still need to worry about the corners?

 

[lamontqsanford]

Thanks, Tracy. With that process, do I still need to worry about the corners?

Yeah you will still need to chamfer the edges, that is pretty easy though.

I should add that you can get there with the 600 it just takes longer. The 220 makes the work faster but will leave some scratches that the 600 will take out.

 

[Wid]

Yes, you will have to chamfer the edges. When I had the C12K I didn't find it all that hard to lap with the above method.

 

[lamontqsanford]

I wanted to add that I started my C12K with a DMT 325. After about 20 minutes I had basically ruined the DMT 325. The C12K is very hard and it worked right thru the DMT. Some guys have had good luck lapping with the DMT 325 but others, like myself, have ruined theirs on the C12K. I can't even use it to lap my naniwas it is so ground down and they are a breeze to lap. The good news is that once you have it lapped I doubt you will ever need to lap it again.

 

[Spivey]

Thanks, guys. This has been very helpful.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I lapped my Guangxi Province Nat on a 220grit DMT plate. It was uneventful. Most barbers hones take more work than it did. Maybe 30 minutes near a sink (it clogs up the plate every minute or so). I then finished it on 400/800/1200/2000 grit sandpaper... that part was imho a waste of time. The stone is hard, but not hard or fine enough it really requires a lapping progression the way Arkansas stones and hard Jnats do.

 

[Legion]

I lapped mine on 240 grit and then finished it on 1000. Worked fine.

 

[mdunn]

as above, i lap all my stones on sandpaper and have no issues

 

[Bay Rum]

For the C12K I would go to your local auto parts store and get some 220 wet/dry and start with that. It will take a few sheets. Once you have it lapped use some of the 600wet dry and lap it again. Just make sure you use a flat surface and some water on the paper. I would love to tell you that it is fun but with the C12K it is painful and takes a while. I did mine in 2 stages.

+1 I put mine on a sheet of glass, wet the glass first and the paper will stay put. You want it as flat as possible. Just make sure you clean the gunk from the sandpaper.