Originally Posted by
randydance062449
I just called a friend with a lot of experience with the Carborundum hones, Utopian.
he feels that they are solid all the way through so it would be safe to lap it. He made a distinction between the 101, 101A, 102 & 103 which are marked on the box as a razor hone. Is yours? If not then it is a sharpening stone and not as suitable for razors.
I asked about porousity and he said that the 101-2-3 are not porous but some of the others are. It sounds to me like yours is porous because it has glazed along the edges, probably from the shaving lather. Since the glazing is only along the sides it suggests that the sides are " high" and the center is "dished". This means the hone needs to be lapped flat. I suspect that the roughness and discoloration in the center is from a buildup of swarf coming from the edges when you hone.
So....I don't think you have a razor hone, just a sharpening hone (knives). I think it needs to be lapped flat to be useful.
Just my 2¢ :)
Going out of town for a few days so I will not be able to comment further until I get back.
Good luck