Thread: Is this normal?

I just received my first set of stones and thought I would jump right in. So I lapped the stones picked up one of my more cheaper razors and started. Is I progressed I started to notice black streakes and on one a dot like pattern... I was thinking I was doing something wrong but I'm not really sure.
Please help
Josip

The black streaks could be metal particles from the razor, but the dot pattern...could be small pits where the stone isn't true. How did you lap the stones, or what did you use? Sandpaper can push its abrasive into more porous stones if you aren't careful. Hopefully some of the other guys will chime in shortly as well.

I've never seen that before. First thing to come to my mind was "What did you lap with, and how did you lap?"

That dot pattern looks like the DMT with the dots. Not sure how it would cause an imprint of the dots though.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I've never seen that before. First thing to come to my mind was "What did you lap with, and how did you lap?"

I used a 220 grit piece of sandpaper (wet)

The Naniwa SS often times require 2-3 times lapping and honing to get "Dialed in" they were for a long time placing a sticker dead center on the hones which was a real PITA to lap through the effect of the glue residue..

But in general 2-3 cycles of lapping and honing gets rid of any issues

That diamond pattern looks to me to be a similar thing to what happens when you take a "rubbing" of an old cemetery headstone, or something of a similar nature (long story, don't ask, but I have on occasion taken headstone rubbings...)

Seems there's some kind of patterned effect on that particular stone - perhaps you have revealed something of the structure in the manufacturing process; it is a quite regular pattern isn't it?

Whatever it is, it is very interesting.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

perhaps you have revealed something of the structure in the manufacturing process; it is a quite regular pattern isn't it?

That's what I was thinking. I would suspect that it would not affect the performance of the stone though...