I'm brand new to honing. After reading a lot here about the possible choices, the setup I decided to go with was what I thought would be most fool-proof for a new guy. I bought a DMT8C, a DMT8EE, and a Chinese 12K. I figured I could:

- Use the DMT8C to lap the Chinese 12K, or any other water stones I might get
- Break in the DMT8EE using the lapped Chinese 12K
- Start my honing progression on the broken-in DMT8EE, and polish on the lapped 12K. Simple....

The DMT8C lapped the Chinese 12K twice pretty nicely in about 45 minutes, rubbing them together in my hands under running water. I couldn't pull them apart after the 2nd lapping, I had to slide them off each other.

I've read here that a brand new DMT8EE can leave a bit of a ragged edge on something as fine as a razor until the diamond plating is broken in, so I lapped the Chinese 12K a few times on the DMT8EE. This wasn't to lap the Chinese 12K any further, it was only to break in the DMT8EE.

Well, it appears the Chinese 12K took a bunch of the diamond surface right off the DMT8EE, lapping no more than 30 seconds. At least, it looks that way to me. I've never owned a diamond hone before (pics below). I thought it was odd that the DMT8EE had a lot more resistance than the DMT8C.

I'm out the money, because DMT doesn't recommend lapping waterstones with anything other than a DMT8XX. Yet, the DMT8C ate right through that 12K, with no issues. I didn't use any real pressure either time. What did I do wrong - was it foolish of me to try to break in the DMT8EE on the 12K? Is there a better method of "smoothing" a DMT8EE before the first razor honing, that won't destroy it? I'd be grateful for any advice, thanks.