Need cheaper lapping method

[gull]

To celebrate my first DFS shave with a straight, I'm getting a Naniwa 12K. Now, the price is setting be back a bit, but I was looking at a DMT plate to lap it, and I was shocked at the price! I'm only getting one stone, so I don't need some heavy duty plate.

I read somewhere that sandpaper can do the job just fine? What grit should I use and how do I keep it from moving around?

 

[bradyarz]

wet/dry sandpaper should indeed work fine. if you first wet a piece of glass or a granite counter top, the sandpaper should stick to it with no issues. lapping a 12k stone will indeed require a higher grit paper, but i'll let someone more experienced than me tell you exactly what grit that would be.

 

[Troggie]

If you are near a Harbor Freight they have a "knife" sharpening system that is similar to diamond plates and only costs about 10 bucks. I use that now instead of the wet/dry sandpaper on a piece of granite tile.

 

[honed]

Sandpaper that can take getting wetting "wet/dry" in ~600 grit on a very flat surface. Marble counter-top is perfect (do it when the wife aint watching)
Soak the paper in water & it "glues" it self to the surface beneath.

 

[superbleu]

Pick up a marble/granite tile at the hardware store when you get the wet dry Sandpaper. You will want to do this under running water, using a light figure eight motion. Draw a grid on the surface with a pencil and sand till all the grid marks are gone.

 

[Will P.C.]

I would just get the DMT. In the long run, it will be cheaper. It is also faster and easier than paper which makes it worth the money IMO

 

[superbleu]

I would just get the DMT. In the long run, it will be cheaper. It is also faster and easier than paper which makes it worth the money IMO

I have to give a big +1 to Will's comment. DMT 325 makes life so much easier as far as lapping hones go. I would say this is probably the best money spent on all of my straight razor shaving paraphernalia.

 

[Legion]

I use 240 grit on stones up to 4k and on finer stones I use the 240 + 1000 grit to smooth them a bit more. The wet paper just sticks to a piece of glass, although some brands curl at the edges more than others, not that it is a big deal.

Also, when I am in a hurry, I sometimes lap two stones by rubbing them together under running water in the laundry sink. That works too.

 

[jag613]

I use a drywall screen sandpaper at 120 grit on my 10k, it was good the first 2 times, now it takes forever, I wish I bought a DMT plate

 

[Utopian]

Though I really like my DMT plates, I think one of them is overkill for someone who only has one hone. Wet/dry sandpaper will work just fine and you can buy way more than a lifetime supply of it for the price of a DMT plate.

 

[Jim]

Where do you live?
Perhaps someone nearby can get it started for you-

 

[life2short1971]

I have a DMT8C and the only thing that slows it down is the hybrid side of a coticle. I started with sandpaper and got tired of dealing with the mess. I can just sit the plate in the sink on its rubber feet and everything goes right down the drain.Naniwas need a lot of lapping or cleaning to keep the pores from clogging. i wouldn't want to deal with sandpaper and contamination if I could avoid it.

 

[Walker]

I went to Lowes and picked up a Ceramic Tile like what you would use on your kitchen floor (4 or 5 bucks). The sandpaper i use is 120 grit, 320 grit and 600 grit. I crosshatch the stone with a pencil, lap it with the 120 until the marks are gone, reapply the pencil marks and lap it again on the 120. I do this with all the grits of sandpaper. By the time you get finished with the 2nd lapping with the 600 grit you have one flat and smooth hone.

 

[gull]

Okay so what I'm seeing is I should get something in the 600 grit range?

I'll consider the DMT plate, but for now, I'm going to use sandpaper.

 

[Walker]

Okay so what I'm seeing is I should get something in the 600 grit range?

I'll consider the DMT plate, but for now, I'm going to use sandpaper.

I use a rougher grit for the initial lapping, because i'm lazy, and i use the 600 grit as a final step to smooth out the sanding marks on my hones. But yes, you can just use a 600 grit, it will just take a little longer than using a rougher grit.

 

[Utopian]

I have a DMT8C and the only thing that slows it down is the hybrid side of a coticle.

What is the "hybrid" side?

i wouldn't want to deal with sandpaper and contamination if I could avoid it.

I have never found any evidence of hone contamination from wet/dry sandpaper, which is the only kind of sandpaper that should be used for lapping.

 

[life2short1971]

These are actually what would be the BBW side of a normal Coticule. This side is almost as hard as Arkansas stone. They are both dry and notice the light reflection visble on one.They remind me of marble.

 

[gull]

Just curious, how do you all view the Norton lapping stone in comparison to the DMT?

 

[Blue58]

To celebrate my first DFS shave with a straight, I'm getting a Naniwa 12K. Now, the price is setting be back a bit, but I was looking at a DMT plate to lap it, and I was shocked at the price! I'm only getting one stone, so I don't need some heavy duty plate.

I read somewhere that sandpaper can do the job just fine? What grit should I use and how do I keep it from moving around?

The least expensive way I know to lap a stone is get a granite tile from any place that sells tile, place it on a flat surface that wont be hurt by water. poor a bit of water on the tile then put a piece of 320 wet/dry sandpaper on the tile with the grit side up, smooth it out and it will suck right down to the tile and stay put. poor a bit more water on the sandpaper and start lapping. After you have the initial lapping done with the 320 grit then you can finish it off with the 600 grit wet/dry

 

[Walker]

Just curious, how do you all view the Norton lapping stone in comparison to the DMT?

I asked the same question and the answers i got were

The Norton lapping stone was good for lapping Nortons but not much else

The Norton lapping stone may have to be lapped itself

The DMT 325 leaves a better finish on a hone than the Norton.

I personally have never used the Norton. I have a DMT 325 but find myself using the sandpaper method more than the DMT. All this of course is my opinion. Hope this helps.