Thread: Quick question about honing

I think this is likely your problem. All new hones should be lapped just to be sure, and soft hones like the norton or shapton need to be lapped every few uses.

You find the shaptons soft?

Compared to my various novaculite hones, my Tam O'Shanter, and my various ceramic barber hones, yes, they are soft.

If all you have is the 8000 grit honing stone, you should go to your local auto parts store and pick up some p600 wet/dry sandpaper. You can get by with a rubber sanding block but a square of ceramic tile works better. Sand the stone til it builds up a slurry then wash it off. This will give the surface a slightly rough texture and flatten the stone's surface. Now the stone will work to it's maximum efficiancy and the grit will get finer as you sharpen. I was suprised how much better my stone sharpened after I did this. If you ever get a 4000 stone then you can move up to flattening them with a p800 grit sandpaper or get a flattening stone. My 2 cents.
Ernest