OK, so I'm not an expert on hones but I play one on the shaving forums....

Joke aside, I've had this question I've been trying to answer to myself regarding the practice of soaking a hone like the Norton 4K. The manufacturer states that the hone needs to be soaked for about 10 minutes in water before use... I am sitting here wondering WHY?!?!?! I cannot for the life of me, after having used this hone multiple times think of any reason why it has to be done. I've soaked the hone for 30 minutes or 12 hrs and it's all the same, the hone is porous and the water on the surface of the hone wicks into the 4k hone in a matter of seconds leaving the top surface without a coating of water. Even if the water remained on the surface I don't see how it can prevent any damage to the hone?!?!? I'll be up front here and state that I have used my Norton 4k/8k both wet and dry and have noticed no problems with using it dry at all. I do admit that the 8k side is dense enough to not allow the water to wick away all that fast and having the water on the surface probably floats some of the swarf away but on that 4K I just don't see it happening. And even when I've used the 4K dry until it's black with swarf, there does not seem to be an issue using a DMT D8C to lap it clean and flat again, only this time I add water to rinse away the grit that is being removed by the diamond plate.

On oil stones I feel it's a different matter, those things (Arkansas hones) are solid, not porous hones that need a lube to float away the swarf before it becomes embedded in the surface. They also don't get lapped as frequently as water hones ( which cleans the hone) and that again would indicate that one should lube with something to keep it cutting properly.

So on a waterstone like the Norton 4K, what possible damage could you do to the interior of the hone by honing on it without soaking it in water first? I can't think of a single thing.......

Regards

Christian