New to Honing, Having Problems Laping

[Dachshund63]

Hello Gents!

I've been slowly assembling the tools required to hone my own straights from the comfort of my own living room. I understand the safe bet is to lap the stones when you get them to ensure that they are flat the first time you use them.

I am using a granite tile and wet/dry paper as a lapping mechanism. However. It seems like only after a few moments of wet sanding the grit on the paper is completely worn away and the stone isn't yet lapped. I'm using 3M wet dry sandpaper which seems like that should be happening. Anyone have any advice about what could be happening and how I can get these things flat so I can move on to the fun part?

 

[Steve56]

That's odd, 3M is good paper. How hard are you pushing, IOW how much pressure are you using?

Be sure to use plenty of water, don't let the swarf get thick or sticky. If you have a diamond plate, you might start off with that under running water.

Cheers, Steve

 

[kelbro]

Depending on the stone type that you are lapping, you will most likely go through many sheets of sandpaper, 3M or others.

That's why diamond plates are more commonly used for 'first laps' and then sandpaper for maintenance lapping.

 

[paintflinger]

As an fyi, when people reference diamond plates, generally they mean the Atoma lapping diamond plate. Regular DMT's will get trashed pretty quickly when used for lapping (I know mine did).

 

[*stefan*]

You may need lower/higher grit paper.

If the paper surface is not like 3 times larger than the stone you might need to lift the stone from paper regularly and rinse of particles between stone and paper.

 

[migralda]

I bought a cheap diamond plate to start with and it was wrecked in no time, wet and dry paper lasts seconds...as others have said invest in an Atoma plate, most people use the 400 grit ..Job done!

 

[*stefan*]

You need something to check if the stone is flat or not.

Some new stones is not flat at all, some very flat. Some can be a bit convex lengthwise and sidewise, may be used without lapping.

 

[alpster]

If your stone is way out of flat, some sic abrasive on a piece of glass or tile works wonders. As said earlier, WD paper will keep it flat thereafter.

 

[Dachshund63]

Thanks for all the replies! I'll take a gander at plate and see how the old bank account is looking.

 

[Mr.Tee]

I would recommend a diamond plate. They are just so useful in so many ways. While cheaper than a plate, they dont exactly give away good W/D sandpaper either. In a relativly short period of time you will surpase the cost anyways. Not sure what stones you are using, but I started with a set of super stones which were way out of flat when new. Not to mention that they are very soft and need regular light lappings.

Otherwise as other have already said, start course and work up, it will save you a lot of time.

On a side note, when finishing up with 600 w/d or whatever, I always liked using the paper until its mostly worn out. Sort of a final burnishing effect to the stone.

 

[Gamma]

Make sure you are lapping under running water - you need to clear the swarf off as you go.

 

[Cy-B]

I am sure I'm going to be in the minority if not standing all by myself with what I am about to say. When I first started shaving with a straight I thought honing was the answer. Now I only strop it with .25 micro paste and I'm not sure when I'll need to hone it, I'm sure someday I will.
Dare I ask why you think you need to hone your straight? I'm not saying you don't need to, just asking what the symptoms are.

 

[Mr.Tee]

Dare I ask why you think you need to hone your straight? I'm not saying you don't need to, just asking what the symptoms are.

Why are bushes bushy? Why is grass green? Haha, just teasing. I think I can speak for most here by saying we enjoy the process as much as the end result. It is a lot of fun creating non nuclear atom splitters. It's even more fun doing so with a rock that came out of the ground that man try as he may, never has, and probably never will fully replicate.

 

[Dachshund63]

Cy, it isn't for the immediate future. But eventually I know I will need/want to. I do have a balsa strop with paste. But I also did pickup a straight that has no bevel. So I want to learn how to do the process for my razors, and in general for knives and other such stuff. Can never have too many skill sets.

 

[Cy-B]

The main reason I asked is, I have found that most of the time I only need to strop my razor with .25 micron paste on the strop unless I did something careless such as drop it on the floor. Four years ago I keep honing my straight razor but for the last three and a half years I have not unless it is a new shave ready one and it isn't really but just called that by the person selling it.
I started out with a razor I'd call just barely shave ready and presently if I come close to a hair with it, the hair jumps off in fear (ya, exaggeration/hair story). It really is freaky sharp though.

 

[TheFear]

For many folks honing isn't just about only doing it when it's required. It's fun. It's meditative in a way.

For me it's all part of the hobby. From searching for stones and razors, cleaning and fixing them up, honing then shaving. It's all good.

 

[David]

For many folks honing isn't just about only doing it when it's required. It's fun. It's meditative in a way.

For me it's all part of the hobby. From searching for stones and razors, cleaning and fixing them up, honing then shaving. It's all good.

Agreed . If it weren't for the honing part I seriously doubt I would shave with a Straight. I enjoy the maintenance just as much as the shave.

 

[Lmarkow]

If it weren't for the honing part I seriously doubt I would shave with a Straight.

An interesting/surprising comment.
I, otoh, take no pleasure in honing, other than shaving with a fresh edge the next day ( . . . if I'm lucky).

 

[migralda]

I'm with Dcaddo, the whole process fascinates me and the shave is only the end result of a long journey.
I suppose it's a little like golf (although I don't play)! I have good days and bad days with honing, some days I can do nothing wrong and other days I can do nothing right ..although I don't feel as though I do anything different.

 

[Cy-B]

Hum, I find that honing my razor actually takes my razor back a few steps and I need to strop more than normal to get my razor back to where I want it.
What are ya all using for a stone? I only go up to the 12k stone and my stropping paste is either .5 or .25 micron. Just wondering.