I've recently purchased one Norton 4000/8000 water stones and after a series of flattening (600 grit wet-dry sand paper) and honing attempts, I've noticed a couple of things.

1) when you look at the stone dry and on an angle there are tiny pits into surface of the 4000 grit. They are less than a hairs thickness deep and wide, but they are all over.

2) both side of the stones have areas that you can feel 'bumps' which honing. As you are honing you can feel the metal being cut and then all of a sudden it feels like there is bump that slightly lifts the blade off the stone and pivots it around the bump at the same time.

I exchanged the first Norton for a second and I have noticed the same thing on the second.

Has anyone else noticed anything like this, either 1) or 2) (or even both).

Thanks,

Mark