"You need to look at the big picture, razor community is just a fragment."

Yes, it has been said by folks who know, have spoken directly to miners, that, as stones were brought out of the mines, they were tested and graded for size and quality, aggressiveness. Small and very fine stones were tossed into the tailing pile and large aggressive stones were packed onto wooden backpack pallets to be carried down the mountain.

Then as now, razor honing market is/was very small compared to the tool and knife market that makes up the majority and where stones are constantly being replaces as they wear out, razor stone last lifetimes. Small fine stones just were not worth carrying down the mountain, by hand.

It is those tailings that are being excavated now to produce many of the “razor quality” stones that are sold today.

If you are lapping a hard stone on grit or wet and dry, mark the stone with a sharpie, pencil will wash off with slurry or powder and give a false reading. You should be able to flatten a hard stone, like a novaculite in 20-30 minutes, once flat polishing goes quickly.