Surface finish, texture and appearance can be precisely controlled. The angle of the crosshatch pattern can be adjusted by varying the spindle speed and stroke speed of the honing tool. Some applications call for a steep crosshatch angle in the bore, while others require a shallow angle. The depth or roughness of the crosshatch pattern depends on the relative size of the abrasive grit in the honing stone. The larger the grit, the rougher the finish. A mirror finish with almost imperceptible surface texture can be achieved with very fine grit abrasives.
As mentioned earlier, the crosshatch pattern created during honing is beneficial for applications such as engine cylinder bores to ensure some oil is retained on the bore surface for proper piston ring lubrication and piston ring sealing. Oil will not adhere well to a smooth or glazed cylinder bore surface, leading to premature wear and possible engine failure. If desired, a second honing operation using specialized tools can follow initial honing to create a plateau finish in which the peaks are uniformly clipped at a consistent level while leaving the valleys untouched. Most engine cylinders today are honed with this plateau surface finish, which increases the bearing area of the bore surface. This means conventional piston ring “break-in” processes are not required and the microscopic peaks that are honed off before the engine is assembled do not end up in the engine oil upon start-up.