Bart, that's what has always puzzled me about the Japanese Naturals the seem to be recommended honing with slurry. These would also be for the polishing stones that would produce wickedly sharp edges.

The Asagi I returned to So, like Jimbo's also did not work well with water only. I believe my stone's water only performance was due mainly to the pyrite inclusions I spoke of earlier; water only would end up releasing the inclusions which would then become errant grit which was unpleasant.

Chris L