How often to lap natural stones.

So here is my question now and I am getting some conflicting answers just by reading the forums. All my stones I have done the grid lapping on 2-3 times to ensure they are flat. I started with Naniwa stones and I lapped them with 3 figure 8's before each use. Now that I have my natural stones I am seeing that most users do not lap there's but once in a blue moon. I have a select Coticule possibly a La Grise, a Ozuku Asagi LV5+ JNAT. It makes sense to me that the JNAT will need it far less often than the Coticule, but the question remains how often should I lap them?

Edit: I guess I should add I already know most of the answers will be along the lines of: YMMV, "Only you will know when its time to lap them", "Depends on use". I am just looking for a base line of what users are currently using as a guide on when to lap their stones. It would help me a great amount if everyone posted what stone they have, how often they use it and how often they lap it. Thanks again for reading.

I lapped my coti once in the beginning, and then another time when a flake chipped off the surface so I lapped it again to get rid of it. I have another one coming off, but I think Ill just fill with CA to avoid lapping. My JNat I scratched a bunch of times trying to make a tomonagura slurry, so I lapped it 2-3 times already. But since that first week I haven't done it again. If not for surface imperfections you shouldn't have to lap for a while....also, rubbing the slurry stone evenly all over the stones is in effect lapping it, so I think lapping would be done very infrequently.

I have done mine, coti and Jnat, a couple time a piece. Actually for the same exact reasons as Kent mentioned. But since then I don't have any plans on doing either any time soon.

If your using the coticule as your last stone the dishing it takes on wont hurt anything at all and your just wasting stone lapping it. If your going behind it wit another stone then whenever you notice a difference in contact from it to the next I would think is the best time. I try to use the whole stone so it wears evenly and haven't lapped mine in 200 razors.

Sounds good. To be honest I would have just lapped it every time I used it. The only reason I didn't lap it and wanted to ask is because someone credible in this very thread laughed when I asked when he lapped his stone last...

Considering the cost of coticules and jnats, lapping every honing session is the definition of "money down the drain"

i find that when i lap my naturals it takes a while for them to settle down...... i.e. smooth back out.......

i don't see any of them getting lapped for a long time....

I used to lap mine every couple of years. The lapping usually consisted of just rubbing a grid off the stone with 1000 grit paper on glass. Often this only took a dozen light corner-to-corner diagonal laps. But now that I hone on film, I no longer have to lap any stones at all. Neener neener neener.

Slash McCoy said:

I used to lap mine every couple of years. The lapping usually consisted of just rubbing a grid off the stone with 1000 grit paper on glass. Often this only took a dozen light corner-to-corner diagonal laps. But now that I hone on film, I no longer have to lap any stones at all. Neener neener neener.

Click to expand...

Did you tape the stones?

paco664 said:

Did you tape the stones?

Click to expand...

They didn't have spines.

you will have to lap the Jnat from time to time , even if it is lvl5+ as soon as you use naguras /tomonagura on it will dish.
You can learn how to flatten it with the naguras with time then you do not have to lap anymore.

I haven't lapped my black Arkansas in years, ditto for my yellow coticule as I've not noticed they need it. Razor sharpening is very light duty on a stone. Possum