Quote Originally Posted by JimmyHAD View Post
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.
I agree with Jimmy on the quick scouring. Dishing doesn't seem to be a problem for the old barbers. If it were, their stones would've never become dished in the first place. (Any slight dish would've been lapped away before it was noticeable to the eye.) Most of the old barber stones I've found were very dished, and somehow the barbers managed to stayed in business. That's enough evidence for me.

Christopher