Oh NO!! not another small block build

I personally don't consider a cylinder with a ridge that you feel with a fingernail as 'low wear'.

Is the ridge iron or carbon? If you can feel it, it is worn .010 on one side, the wear is not even, not a candidate for a ball hone. I have not had or used a ball hone in decades. I have real dial bore gages, a Sunnen hone, and torque plates for anything I might rebuild including a Neon 2.0.