Thread: naniwa black lines

after i hone up a couple of razors i get these black lines up and down the lenght of the stones. so then i lap them to get a nice clean surface for the next honing. should i have to lap these stones this often? is there some point when these lines wont show up anymore, or is the hone still doing its job with these lines on it. thanks

They seem to cut fast. When I get swarf I may go for awhile and then if it is bothering me I rinse the stone under the tap and maybe even hit it with a nail brush. If it gets heavy I give them a few strokes on the diamond plate. I hone at the sink so it isn't a problem. Not necessarily right or wrong ... just what I do.

Agreed they are fast cutters, which accounts for the lines, I think. When re-wetting the stones (I like to see the water get pushed around in a straight line, which tells me that my edge is even on the hone), I just rub the stone lightly with my fingers, which usually brings up some of the black (swarf). That cuts down on the need to lap just in order to clean. After done with a given stone, I rub with my fingers again to loosen the swarf/black stuff and then move it off the stone.