lapping a new coticule?

[slippy]

I just bought a new yellow coticule. Does it need to be lapped or is it ready to go?

 

[Bertilak]

I just bought a new yellow coticule. Does it need to be lapped or is it ready to go?

I got one from Ardennes and in response to an email I sent they claimed no lapping was needed. To be sure I lapped it anyway, using the technique of drawing a pencil-line grid and used a DMT 325. The fact that the pencil lines went away in an uneven fashion showed that the coticule was NOT very flat to begin with.

 

[slippy]

I also have a DMT 325 I use for my Nortons... was the coticule scarred from the DMT? Did you use any special technique or lapped the same as the Norton? Thanks for your help, I don't want to mess up my beautiful expensive new toy

 

[Bertilak]

I also have a DMT 325 I use for my Nortons... was the coticule scarred from the DMT? Did you use any special technique or lapped the same as the Norton? Thanks for your help, I don't want to mess up my beautiful expensive new toy

Everything went fine. I don't have a Norton -- still trying to decide on how to deal with honing.

 

[Dave_D]

Coticules are generally a soft stone, Ive been able to lap mine in about 10 minutes on a piece of 600 wet and dry (with water) on a granite tile. Time will vary of course as to how far off the stone is.

 

[Bertilak]

Coticules are generally a soft stone, Ive been able to lap mine in about 10 minutes on a piece of 600 wet and dry (with water) on a granite tile. Time will vary of course as to how far off the stone is.

Yes, mine lapped easily. Especially if you compare it to a Swaty I also lapped in the same way.

 

[Dave_D]

Swatys are god awful hard, took me ages to get mine flat. Would definately prefer a DMT if I were to do it a 2nd time.

 

[tpoof]

lapped my new coticule with 600 grit wet/dry as well... took minutes... worked well

 

[memorael]

One thing to notice about lapping natural stones is that sometimes they will swell with moisture coticules don't swell as much but they do swell a little at least in my experience.

 

[zib]

I import stones from Rob at Ardennes, Take it from me, they all need to be lapped as previously stated, by drawing the gridlines, and using a DMT D8C or DMT D8XX, followed by a D8C

 

[zib]

Swatys are god awful hard, took me ages to get mine flat. Would definately prefer a DMT if I were to do it a 2nd time.

Those Swaty's are what got me to buy a DMT D8XX, and there still tough.
I've been trying to work chips out. It's taking forever.....

 

[Olivia]

My coticule from Rob came almost flat.
Ran a kitchen knife over it to test and smoothed it out some more with W/D paper. Now its fine.

 

[BEAR DEN]

I've used a DMT 325 for lapping and had no real issues with it messing up the stone. I am not an expert by any means in this area, in fact I use the 325 because it's the fastest way. I don't enjoy lapping stones at all but it does need to be done.

 

[Thebigspendur]

I got my coticule from Howard a few years ago. I've never lapped it and its worked fine. Its first getting to a point where I will have to lap it soon but thats after a lot of use. Swelling in a coticule?. I doubt it. Its a metamorphic rock and they don't swell or absorb water. Also I don't think I would use granite to lap a coticule. Granite contains mica which is very soft stuff. way softer than a coticule. It may work short term but over time the mica will wear out causing pits which can scratch the coticule.