I have been working solely with stone for over 19 years. Twice, I have been in San Diego Home and Gardens, for projects involving Best of the Year.
Most honed material, if you have a keen eye, has an imperfect finish. Whether it's Travertine, Marble, or Granite, the darker it is, the more things show. Honing stone to a perfectly uniform finish; whether it's leather, antiqued, matte, satin, or patina; is more difficult than polishing it to a perfectly shiny finish. I know this sounds counterintuitive, but maximum is maximum. Honed is variable. When honing stone, any of the following will make a difference in the finish; speed, the amount of grit, age of pads, pressure, and/or lubrication.
Many installers and maintenance people will try to hide the imperfections, in the finish, with topical sealants. This is a mistake! Do not use topical sealers! They are equivalent to a cheap nail polish that is purchased by the gallon, which requires being completely stripped, rather than simply cleaning and resealing.
The easiest Black Absolute Granite, to maintain daily, is a polished antique finish. It has this modern-rustic look that people like, with the advantage of closing the pores. This finish is achieved with the right kind of polishing process, after it has been textured.
Also, sealing your stone is extremely important! SLX-100 Impregnating Oil and Water Repellant is very expensive, but it is worth the cost. Sealing stone yourself isn't difficult once you figure out the tricks. If it gets streaky, use a little more sealer to break it down. This removes the streaks without removing the sealer, but requires elbow grease and timing to get right.
Working in different parts of the country has taught me that water isn't always the same and the deposits it leaves behind may require a variety of cleaners. Most of the worthy cleaners are terrible for sealer. Magic eraser, fine steel wool, ammoniated and alcohol cleaners may become your friend, but a well sealed stone requires less effort to remove streaks. Granite Gold has a ton of cleaning and stone care products... their wipes leave a streak free finish without damaging the seal.
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