Thread: Swaty - to lap or not? That is the question

I used to get hones from old barbers back in the 1980s. Swaty, coticules ..... I talked with them about honing and some of them demonstrated their technique for me and gave me tips. I never had one mention lapping/flattening hones of any kind. None of the old barber manuals, that I am aware of, mention it. Now I think it is a good thing for waterstones but not so much for barber hones. Like Glen says, unless there is a problem with the surface it is probably better as is. I have taken a nylon bristle brush and scoured the dirty ones but I don't lap them unless it is absolutely necessary.