So I have been messing around with my PHIG's and just for kicks decided to soak one and the verdict is... IT DOESN'T ABSORB ANY WATER!!! HAHA! anyway I did notice a better feel to the hone. It could just be me with all the anxiety of having some experimentation to do but the results were the same as before, the shave wasn't very comfortable some pulling in fact, tried different strops and my hardest one seemed to improve the edge but not to the level at which I would actually enjoy shaving and this is the weirdest thing CROX didn't improve the edge either... I know I too was speechless. I will try taking pics once I have a camera of my two PHIGS so you guys can see if it matches your PHIGS. In the end I think that the PHIG is best left to people sharpening chisels and knives but not something that goes on your face.