Lapping plate recommendations

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

Howdy all

I have a collection of holiday gift cards burning a hole in my pocket. 

I've decided that, as unexciting as it sounds, what i really and truly need is a lapping plate for my waterstones. Up till now I've been using sandpaper on a granite plate. It's effective but very wasteful. 

 

Does anyone have recommendations or advice? 

The $350 Shapton looks wonderful. And there is no way in hades I'm going to pay that much. Instead I'm looking at the $100 DMT that Woodcraft sells. Thoughts or suggestions? 

Thanks...

[pkinneb]

This is what I use on my Shapton stones. no complaints and according to Amazon I purchased in 2014.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RZJ0F0?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_6&th=1 

[Tom King]

I use 140 and 400 diamond grit 4" x 8"  Atoma replacement sheets on a 9x12 granite surface plate I bought on sale from Woodcraft.  They're replacement sheets for their lapping plates.   The granite surface plate was less than $30 back whenever it was that I bought it, and flat to within .001mm.  I don't tote it around though.  It stays out on my sharpening sink.  Sorry, but I don't know where to buy those sheets now.   The 400 gets used on stones 6k and above only.

[fcschoenthal]

On 1/15/2026 at 11:46 AM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

Instead I'm looking at the $100 DMT that Woodcraft sells.

Ron, what size are you looking at?

I got a Norton flattening stone (9 x 3), but then I switched over to diamond, so never opened the package. I'd be willing to ship it to you for $30.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 1/15/2026 at 1:22 PM, fcschoenthal said:

Ron, what size are you looking at?

I got a Norton flattening stone (9 x 3), but then I switched over to diamond, so never opened the package. I'd be willing to ship it to you for $30.

@fcschoenthal thanks, i appreciate the offer. I've actually got one of those that broke and i glued back together. Lol. Why i still have it is beyond me. But i think I'm going to go with a diamond plate. 

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 1/15/2026 at 1:09 PM, Tom King said:

I use 140 and 400 diamond grit 4" x 8"  Atoma replacement sheets on a 9x12 granite surface plate I bought on sale from Woodcraft.  They're replacement sheets for their lapping plates.   The granite surface plate was less than $30 back whenever it was that I bought it, and flat to within .001mm.  I don't tote it around though.  It stays out on my sharpening sink.  Sorry, but I don't know where to buy those sheets now.   The 400 gets used on stones 6k and above only.

Tom i think i have that same surfacing plate and that's what I've been using with sandpaper. I never even considered that they make or used to make sheets for it. Thanks for the info!!

[Tom King]

I bought the Atoma replacement sheets from Stu back when he had Tools from Japan.  I don't know if they're even available in this country.  I miss dealing with him.  His Sister was going somewhere across Japan and picked them up for him.  I don't do a lot of flattening, but they're still good probably a decade later.

[Von]

I have the 8x3" DMT diamond sharpening stones which I've been happy with, but I have no experience with lapping stones since I have the diamond stones and no apparent need for them that I can discern.

FYI, I see the DMT lapping stones on sale here.