Question about flattening water stones...

[KennyB]

I was looking at my water stone and noticed that on each end, one corner is lower than the other and the surface is kind of slanting down. The surface seems flat ( pencil lines all wear off, no light when checked with a square ) but it just seems as if I somehow ground one side a little bit further down and so it's slanting...

Does this really need to be fixed? I used it since flattening and got a good edge, and my brain is telling me that my hands compensate for the slant to keep it at the right angle, but I'm just wondering if that's right or if I should try to get it even somehow.

 

[Komitadjie]

I wouldn't worry about it all that much, personally. It shouldn't effect your sharpening at all if it's consistent and not all that large. IMO unless it's fairly dramatic or is really annoying you, it's not worth the life it'd take off the stone to lap it down.

 

[stoffi]

I lay a fresh sheet of sandpaper on a flat surface and regrind the stone so that it is perfectly flat. Be warned though, if you apply uneven pressure it'll present itself on your stone, i.e. a slant.

 

[viva la]

I wouldnt worry about it. The edges if the stone should be slightly beveled anyways...if it doesnt effect the sharpening process just leave it be

 

[Ben Dover]

Bear in mind that we flatten stones in order to sharpen edges. We don't sharpen knives in order to have stones to flatten! If your edges are satisfactory, according to your needs and desires, then quite obviously your stones have been flattened satisfactorily.