How much time/effort should it take to lap a Norton 4k/8k
I've had a Norton 4k/8k hone for about a month now, working out the basics of honing. For practice, I've been using a few decent german blades picked up at local second-hand shops. They aren't anything to look at, but decent steel while I practice honing.
Getting more involved in the process, I figured it was time to lap my stone since it has been used heavily these past several weeks. The retailer told me the stone was flattened when I bought it, so I never bothered when I first got it.
So today I followed the basics found on this and other sites. I have a sheet of 600 grit wet sandpaper on a perfectly flat surface. I started on the 8k side of the stone. It didn't take long for the stone to get to that 'sticky' stage, so I figured it was done. But when I look at it and rub my hands across it, the texture is different in many areas. Around the center of the stone, the 8k feels smooth as a piece of granite and is that bright yellow I remember when it came out of the box. Around the edges, there is still gray discoloration to the stone and the surface feels much more rough.
So my questions are: is the stickiness factor the only thing to consider when lapping a hone? based on what I've said, do I keep going until the entire surface of the stone is smooth as silk, or am I already done?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.