Forzato:
What did the imbedded grit look like under magnification? I'm referring to the isolated grit particles found incorporated into the actual composition of your Norton stone. From what I've read in this post, you're absolutely certain these damaging and random objects are inherent IN the stone itself, rather than somehow, and from some undetermined source or sources.
Please describe those particles for me/us. I ask this because one of the first things I noticed about my Norton after I purchased a nice stereo microscope is how SOFT the surface is. You can so clearly see under magnification that altering the surface of the Norton 4000/8000 surfaces with a sharp metal object (tip of paperclip, tweezers, etc) is very easy to do. Look for the depressions under magnification in the 4000 side inherent in the manufacturing process and lightly poke at the "wall" of one of those dimples: A metal point scrapes the wall like a stick in wet sand. These surfaces are soft (try lapping a belgian blue for comparison sometime).
It's most certainly possible if lapping with a coarser grit sandpaper (and at the worst, lapping with non-wet dry sandpaper.....a huge and absolute no-no) that the sandpaper grit will release from it's backing and deposit into the surface of the Norton; especially in the surface of the more porous 4000 side. IMO, vigorous scrubbing of the surface after lapping in this fashion could result in accomplishing the opposite of your objective; rather than clean the stone, you could then be ramming and further setting the foreign particles into the surface of the Norton only to rear their ugly heads later. For all I know, the blood from your fingers could serve as an adhesive, further fixing those foreign particles into their places.;)
Can you take some pictures of these embedded particles and post them? If you don't have the means to do this, if you identify some of the particles while still in the surface, maybe one of us with a camera/scope set up could take the pics for you if you sent them your stone for evaluation?:shrug:
Finally, I'd like to add a few additional bits:
- I never had any such problems with my Norton (those edges must certainly be beveled though, people, or similar problems can happen, none of which in that case are defects related to the stone's composition) and I did post as such in your poll.
- Although you make claim that you have the best intentions in mind in trying to uncover what you believe to be a broad scoped issue, in notifying Norton to improve their product quality and ultimately make our lives better in the end, I counter that your delivery and your assertion that the outcome of your poll is measurably significant smacks of a hidden agenda. I can only speculate from the many posts you've generated in a short period of time, but it's easy to see that frustration is emanating from your pores which in turn leads me to believe you're new at this. The road to BBS shaves and consistent honing of superb edges is most often paved with practice and frustration. Get used to it now. Everyone's abilities, experience level, time available, patience or lack thereof, materials and razors are different. It's quite likely you'll trash a whole slew of blades before you find YOUR best combination of razors, hones, strops and techniques
- When you refer to the Norton 4000/8000 stone as the "benchmark" stone, I'd like you to define that term in the context you're using it in here.
