Yes, I was told you soak the stone and if you're using a Norton Flattening Stone, for example, soak that too. I don't know why, its just what I've been told and I've not had any issues doing it this way. Jordan
Since you usually soak the stone before use, it's a good idea to soak both before flattening so that they will not retain any particles from the flattening process.
When I use my Norton flattening stone I hold it and the stone I'm working under running water. I find this to be much quicker. I generate a slurry on my 12K Chinese stone by using a small 1X3.5X1/2" very hard Arkansas stone. Nagura leaves larger grit then you want with a finishing stone. I'm generating a slurry from the Chinese stone. Nagura stone generates a slurry from itself not the hone.
Ah... Thanks Kenrup! I wondered about this. I recently bought a natural Japanese stone and a synthetic Nagura. When I made a slurry with the Nagura, the slurry came up yellow-ish (same colour as the Nagura) and the edge produced was not as fine as I had expected it to be, based on the stone. So, I was probably honing in slurry made up of the Nagura grit? Makes sense, because when I just used water on the stone (no slurry from the Nagura) I got a very fine edge. Thanks for clearing that up for me. James.
Wish I'd have gone this route. My 4k side was done in less than five minutes. The 8k, on the other hand...
I just got a NFS and both the 4k and 8k was done is really short time compared to using sandpaper. I don't know if it's necessary but I wet the NFS figuring that if both stones were wet, they'd glide against each other more easily
You should wet both stones. You should even flatten them under running water if at all possible as I was told by Howard who sells many a fine stone.
