Thread: Can you use water on a new translucent stone rather than oil?

Just a question I haven't seen addressed (or asked)

Yes you can. Best with a couple of drops of dish washing soap.

if you want the best possible edge you can get off of a translucent ark then thin oil is to be used you can use water but oil is the best option

I find that neither oil nor water are necessary. I just wash it with it dish soap and water when it starts looking dirty. Using the stone dry seems to work faster and produces keener edge than with a honing fluid.

Personally I use my Arks (translucent and black) with water only and I am quite satisfied with the results.

well i have try all three way of honing on a translucent with water with soap and with oil ,and with oil the razor glide's across the stone with out any resistance .with oil the edge comes out alittle keener .

Funny thing but I don't mind honing with oil on pocket knives but it bothers me to do it with razors. I get the stuff on my fingertips and I don't like getting it on the scales. That is why I went to water with a couple of drops of dish soap on the rare occasions when I used that type of stone to hone a razor. I find I get more pleasing results using water stones on razors so I reserve my arks for knives.

Why not? The stone won't explode at the touch of water, unless it is the rabid, hydrophobic variety of Arkansas and then you're in trouble.

Oil works best. As with most novaculite based hones I have used, water often has a tendency to bead up, the stone repelling it almost entirely. Dish soap does counter the problem somewhat, but it is an oilstone.

My arks that have never seen any oil take water without problems.
I think once oil, always oil they say