Thread: Water absorbtion on a Norton combo 1/4 K

Originally Posted by ace

Mine does the same thing. I think it's normal. It doesn't appear to affect honing. The 8K is even more impervious to water.

Same here with mine

With any stone it's a matter of how porous it is and some are more than others. The denser Norton 8K doesn't need soaking while the Norton 4K and 1K need soaking. Even after a 30 minute soak both of those absorb water. Similarly if you store them dry which I do, after use you have to keep them out to dry for days before all the water evaporates from them.

Many years ago I put the Norton 4K away a few hours after use thinking it was dry and when I took it out again weeks later it wasn't a pretty sight.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Many years ago I put the Norton 4K away a few hours after use thinking it was dry and when I took it out again weeks later it wasn't a pretty sight.

Did it gather moss?

Originally Posted by jerrybyers

All the time? I just read where too much soaking may ruin the bond between the two stones.

Most of mine are single grit stones. I do have a 220/1000 that has been sitting in water for a couple of years and it hasn't had any issues.