Thread: Bucket of water...

My question is this; is it OK to leave my Norton 4000/8000 combo in water all the time? I only have a few razors so I don't hone all that often. I just never seem to get my act in gear and get the stone soaked before I need it.

Thanks,
Tom

Keeping the water fresh is probably more trouble than it's worth if you don't use your stone very frequently. I know that Lynn and some of the guys that are honing every day keep their Norton 4/8 stones in water all the time, assuming that they still use it frequently. Based on that it's pretty clear that soaking doesn't hurt the stone.

Bear in mind that it is only the 4K side that requires water saturation. If you just want to use the 8K side you can simply wet it before using. From your post it sounds like you might be using the 8K side to freshen up a razor once in a while. If that's the case I wouldn't bother storing the stone in water, although you could without damaging it.

If you actually take some time and read through the instructions you "should" find a spot that warns against this...
I say should because I have not read mine in over two years so I am assuming it still is in there...
Allegedly the glue can separate the halves..

Now that being said although I do not use the 4/8 very much any more, I do use the 1k a ton still
I get home from work and toss it in the sink full of water, when I get to honing, I get to honing, it might be 4 hours later, I have had no problems....
I used to use the same routine with the 4/8 also....

I have the single grit Nortons, not the combo. I have them at work so that I can hone when it is slow if I feel like it. The 8k doesn't need soaking according to Norton's instructions but the 1 and 4k do. I keep them in separate rubber containers with airtight lids in water.

If you do this and you don't change the water every couple of days they get slimy. I have seen a post where a fellow got algae growing on a Norton from leaving it too long and had a hard time getting it off IIRC. So if you do it just remember to change the water every so often.

Even better is add a few drops of bleach to keep the hones clean from algae and mold.

Thanks all,

I guess it simply comes down to

1. Reading the directions
2. Stop being so lazy!

I simply need a routine and I am so busy with work right now that having a routine outside of "get up and go to work" is difficult.

Thanks again for all the advice.
Tom