This way, the abrasive particles are actually the binding material for smaller abrasive particles since they brake down in size. And, they don't abrade only the steel, but also the stone, thus surfacing new ones. Until they get fine enough while honing, the bigger sized ones (in the slurry) abrade the stone, and new big sized particles become part of the slurry and continues like a chain reaction. The reduction in size of those particles is possible if you use powdered stone on a piece of highly polished crystal diamond surface, but the hone is not hard enough not to be scratched by its own abrasive. If it can't be scratched, (meaning the stone is harder than its abrasive particles) then, the abrasives of the stone are not abrasives. I still can't understand the phrase "particles brake down in size while honing" and I find it very often, regarding always Japanese stones.