Flatening waterstones - a question

[kmr54]

This may be a stupid question but I cant find an answer elsewhere.  I have a 1000 grit water-stone and stone fixer which I purchased from Korin  ( http://korin.com/Shop/Stone-Fixer). The stone fixer is a very course surface. When I apply even the slightest pressure to the stone with the fixer, I produce grooves on the sharpening stone. My question is this:  Is it ok to have small groves on the sharpening stone or is my approach/technique in need of improvement?

 

[capsaicin]

For flattening, I've been using 120 grit sandpaper with the pencil trick, on my granite counter, as suggested by BDL and others here.

I added my own little twist on the process, after observing grooves like you described:  when the last of the pencil marks are just *barely* still visible I switch to 240 for the last stretch (I've also tried to do it all on 240 but just couldn't stand how long it took).  The results on my King 1000 seem okay to me.  Most of the stone fixers I've seen are in the 80-120 grit range also so maybe that will work for you.

 

[chrislehrer]

I don't like the sound of those grooves. The flatteners I know are used crosswise to the grooves and don't do this. Can you describe your flattener a little more?

 

[kmr54]

Chris,

Thanks for the reply.  If you use the link in my original post you will see a picture. It is labeled Peacock.  Mine is similar to that one.