I do appreciate the importance of flatness for lapping chisels & plane irons, on
ce properly prepared its easy to maintain the lapped face, trouble is I collect 
old "sheffield" chisels and lap maybe one or two a week - most are rust pitted w
recks - i start with sand paper stuck to a disk on my lathe & gradually get fine
r and finer then on to course/fine/superfine waterstones to mirror shine, (oh ho
w beautifully they will cut after that!)  I usually flatten each waterstone abou
t 12 times in one session. Physically & mentally the whole process is punishment
/abuse, but the worst part is all that horrible slurry from the waterstones, tha
t's why I want to see them in "dry dock" and put some real stones into action. 
  I think I might go for a DMT dia flat lapping plate to prepare the bench stone
s.
If I don't spend the money - the wife will!!

Mark Fortune

On 20 Nov 2012, at 23:03, Ken Shepard  wrote:

> > Rob Cosman uses water stones and seems to spend as much time flattening them
 as he does in using them to sharpen.  This need for incessant flattening is the
 main reason I no longer use my water stones.  IMHO, this obsession with flatten
ing stones is akin to some of the other obsessions that seem to periodically gri
p woodworkers; obsessions that take time away from actually working wood.
> 
> Ken Shepard
> 
> On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 1:20 PM, Don Schwartz  wrote:
> On 11/20/2012 10:37 AM, Alex Moseley wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>   Once you rehab a deeply dished oilstone, you might not want to do it again.
> 
> 
> 
> Quoting part of my own earlier post:
> 
> > "it was great fun flattening stones, but I would prefer not to make a hobby 
of it. So I'm interested in any technique that purports to keep stones flat. Thi
s week I've read in two different sources of the need to flatten a stone AFTER E
VERY USE.
> 
> > 1. The Joyner and Cabinetmaker, refers to workmen being expected to flatten 
the communal 'rubbing stone' after using it, and being fined for failing to do s
o. Presumably that rubbing stone (as distinct from a hone) was a piece of sandst
one used in preference to a wheel thereof, so it would likely wear pretty quick,
 like some waterstones.
> 
> > 2. David Charlesworth likewise says in A Guide to Hand Tools and Methods tha
t the hone should be flattened after each use.
> 
> > So, two sources ... suggesting this be done. It sounds a little tedious, but
 I expect it might be like putting tools away after use (or digging a garden) - 
easier done a little at a time....
> 
> > Charlesworth also promotes a technique for flattening blades ... which he sa
ys gets the job done and reduces hollowing at the same time. Without going into 
detail, he has a very specific recipe for number and direction of strokes crossw
ise of the stone, and the portion of stone to use, followed by equally detailed 
specifications for lengthwise strokes.
> 
> FWIW
> Don
> 
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