Norton stones - worth it?

[wtnhighlander]

I've been offered a chance to purchase a nearly new set of Norton waterstones (1000, 4000, & 8000 grit), for $100. Estate sale for a colleague's FIL.

Are these worth it? I've always been an oil stone user, no experience with these.

Thanks,

Ross

[Scott Bailey]

if those are single grit stones then that's a really good price. i'm happy with my nortons.  

[Russell Beeman]

Now that I have a few chisels and hand planes, I've been looking at different types of stones, without stealing your thread, should I start with water or oil stones?

[mikem]

I use dual grit nortons. I like them.

[PlaneJoe]

I have these exact stones and I think they work great. But I have never used oil stones so I could not give you a comparison.

[Orbb]

I have the dual grit stones and they work very well.   I had an dual oil stone before and like the water stones better.  The 220/1000 stone lives submerged in a Ziploc storage bin of water; the 4000/8000 is in a similar bin, with the 4000 grit side down in the water (I read somewhere that the 8000 grit should be spritzed while sharpening and not submerged).  I like having them wet when needed, as opposed to the oil stone which needed oiling during the process.  Also, I read from Bob Smalser that the oil stone needed to cleaned in kerosene once in a while, which seems like a mess.   The water stones are much more convenient and less messy.

[Jfitz]

I have those stones and I like them. I suggest also investing in a diamond plate or some other lapping plate for flattening the stones. I bought the Norton lapping plate and I don't think it's truly flat.

[wtnhighlander]

Russell, I can't give you a good comparison. I grew up using oil stones to sharpen knives, so I had them on hand when I started woodworking. I also use the sandpaper method, and it works quite well. Being a part time, hobbyist woodworker, I find that most of my tools only need to hit a stone or sandpaper once a year or so. Stropping keeps them good in the meantime. The biggest exception is when my kid grabs one of my carving knives to scrape the dirt off his skateboard wheels or some such non-sense. I have a $10 set of diamond plates from HF that are good for re-shaping the edge in a hurry. They're pretty small for using with a honing jig, but freehand works well.

[RichardA]

Russell, I can't give you a good comparison. I grew up using oil stones to sharpen knives, so I had them on hand when I started woodworking. I also use the sandpaper method, and it works quite well. Being a part time, hobbyist woodworker, I find that most of my tools only need to hit a stone or sandpaper once a year or so. Stropping keeps them good in the meantime. The biggest exception is when my kid grabs one of my carving knives to scrape the dirt off his skateboard wheels or some such non-sense. I have a $10 set of diamond plates from HF that are good for re-shaping the edge in a hurry. They're pretty small for using with a honing jig, but freehand works well.

    Norton's have been around for a lot of years... If they were junk, you'd never hear about them...... Any stone that you know how to work with and gives you the sharpness you need is a good stone.   With all the choices out there, pick one and stay with it if it works for you..... $100. ain't a lot for stones that do the job!

[Cochese]

You're getting the 1k and 4k stones for the price of the 8k. As long as they aren't dished too badly, it's a great deal.

[mds2]

I have the same stones.  I actually bought mine used at an auction.  If they are in good shape they are definitely wroth $100.   I think the 8000 lone is $115ish new.    I've used those stone for a couple years with great success.   

 

But recently I got some DMT diamond plates and don't know if I'll use the stones much more. 

[Scott Bailey]

i have never used oil stones but I have read that it takes longer to get a fine hone on the newer harder steels with oil stones, so if I understand things right the water stones will produce results faster than oil stones, especially on the newer steel.  beyond that, it seems to me that there are many ways to get from not sharp -> sharp and oil stones are definitely one of them, so I'm guessing that your sharpening media already works well.  question is, do you want to spend $100 on water stones or something else?  you cannot beat the price for what you are getting, like someone above said the 8000 is around $100 all by itself, but then again paying even a good price for something you may not need may be a bad deal for you, and only you know the answer to that.

 

fyi I use a granite plate / 220 grit wet paper to flatten my stones and it works really well, plus the granite plate is useful for other things.  cost me 20 bucks so well worth it.

[Cochese]

I say buy them, and if you don't like them you should be able to pawn them off here and at the very least break even.

[Russell Beeman]

Thanks for the information Ross, sounds like you found a pretty decent deal!

[Orbb]

I have those stones and I like them. I suggest also investing in a diamond plate or some other lapping plate for flattening the stones. I bought the Norton lapping plate and I don't think it's truly flat.

 

I think there is a video out there of Christopher Schwarz smashing the Norton lapping plate with a hammer because it would not flatten stones. 

[Cochese]

I think there is a video out there of Christopher Schwarz smashing the Norton lapping plate with a hammer because it would not flatten stones. 

 

The Norton lapper has truly awful reviews. I'm using sandpaper on a granite plate.

[Scott Bailey]

The Norton lapper has truly awful reviews. I'm using sandpaper on a granite plate.

^^ me too, works awesome

and if it were me I'd jump on this deal. 

[mikem]

I do the same as cochese.  The sandpaper on granite (or plate glass, or any other solid FLAT surface) works very well to keep sharpening stones flat.

[Tom King]

Those were my first water stones, and I used them for a fair number of years.  They will certainly give you a good edge.  They are easily flattened with 80 grit high quality wet or dry sandpaper.  The 1 and 4k are pretty slow compared to something else that would cost you most of that total price for one stone, but they will certainly do the job.

 

Buy them while you have the chance if most of the stones are still left.