German Water Stones

I picked up a couple of German Water Hones this past year, but was so busy I only just got around to lapping them. They were both in kind of rough condition (I don't understand how these hones can get such deep gouges!), but were definitely salvageable.

The boxed hone is pretty nice (5" x 1"), I was able to play around with it the other day, although have yet to shave test the edge. The scales broke on the razor I was honing, so that needed to be fixed before I could shave with it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll shave with it.

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This other hone (5" x 1.5"), which came in a cardboard box that's beginning to disintegrate, is a different matter. One side was pretty badly and deeply scored, so I decided to lap the other side, which was in much better condition (no before picture, unfortunately). It went pretty well, except that a spot developed that concerns me. In the close-up, you can see the spot, hopefully. It wasn't there when I began lapping, so I figure there was either an air bubble or a chunk that came loose. After an hour of lapping it didn't seem to get any smaller.

So my question is, do you think this little blemish will damage a razor?

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There might've been a pocket or something that caused it to break loose.

Since it is lapped flat, I don't think it would be an issue. Although, I would still be wary of the spot, check the spot on your razor that passes over it with a loupe just to be sure.

I have honed over larger dips with no ill effect

I usually use a test razor for this. If you don't have one, just pick something less important and do a few laps. You should hear and feel anything wrong.

Pass a razor over the pit slowly, if you can’t feel it your good. If you can feel it, you can lap it out, or fill with a drop or two of CA glue. As you continue to lap the CA will lap down also.

The deep gouges on the other side are probably from a knife tip. The one on the end, parallel to the edge should be ok. The diagonal one will probably catch a razor edge.

Lap it flat and smooth and test it, if it is not a finisher, you really don’t need to invest a lot of time in it.

What are you using to lap? Slate should lap easily with a 300-400 grit stone or Wet and Dry.

Yeah, I'm not bothering with the side with the deep gouges.

I used 120 grit wet dry sandpaper for the bulk of the work, then finished it up with 400 grit.

I'll test it with a razor tonight, I have a few that are "testers" since I'm still just learning to hone.

Thanks for the input! I'll update when possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Pass a razor over the pit slowly, if you can’t feel it your good. If you can feel it, you can lap it out, or fill with a drop or two of CA glue. As you continue to lap the CA will lap down also.

The deep gouges on the other side are probably from a knife tip. The one on the end, parallel to the edge should be ok. The diagonal one will probably catch a razor edge.

Lap it flat and smooth and test it, if it is not a finisher, you really don’t need to invest a lot of time in it.

What are you using to lap? Slate should lap easily with a 300-400 grit stone or Wet and Dry.

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Get a steel cookie sheet from a dollar store, stick the wet and day sandpaper to the cookie sheet with water. Then lap the stone with the cookie sheet on a piece of flat cement floor, (Your garage). You can lay into it with some weight.

Goes quick and the cookie sheet contains the mess.

If you can't feel it on an edge. [And I don't think you will.] I wouldn't worry about it.

Why remove the rest for a slight cosmetic imperfection

I honed a beater razor on the 5" x 1.5 stone today, and inspected the edge very carefully under my USB microscope. Absolutely no markings from that little blemish in the stone. So I refreshed a couple other razors that were in need. I probably won't get around to test shaving until next week, but I'm very curious to see what the edges are like.