Thread: Soap up your DMTs

I had certainly read about using soap/lather on a hone and let it go. "oh yeah mmm ok"


Finally trying it I thought wow this is sweet. it really works!

After further consideration and talking to my gurus I am no longer using it. I just don't want to risk contamination with substances that might affect the bond of my naturals, or otherwise be absorbed and detract from mother nature's intent when she engineered these marvels.

For most man-made stones soap and baking soda are not recommended. On diamond plates, yes

Originally Posted by kevint

I had certainly read about using soap/lather on a hone and let it go. "oh yeah mmm ok"


Finally trying it I thought wow this is sweet. it really works!

After further consideration and talking to my gurus I am no longer using it. I just don't want to risk contamination with substances that might affect the bond of my naturals, or otherwise be absorbed and detract from mother nature's intent when she engineered these marvels.

For most man-made stones soap and baking soda are not recommended. On diamond plates, yes

That is why I have been reluctant. I hate to use oil on stones recommended for that as well. Just makes me uncomfortable even if there is nothing wrong with it. As an aside I always got the shivers when dry honing but I am doing that on barber hones now. Got to stay open minded and try new stuff before I reject it out of hand. I think I will try the ls lather on one of my coticules and see what I think. Unless it is just exceptional in the results I probably won't make a habit of it. So far the water alone has been fine.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

When i got mine, I actually read the instructions (which is unusual for me).

and you are able to grow facial hair to shave?!? shame on you a disgrace our gender!

i also clean the dmts with comet all the time - works wonders.

as far as using soap with hones the naturals i have are non porous so it cannot affect them structurally at all. and of course, being lazy i don't have a soap and nosoap spray bottles, so pretty much all my hones get the soapy water.

Using dish soap certainly improves the feel of DMTs, but
not enough for me to choose them over other hones at
the 1000 grit level.

- Scott

I refilled an empty bottle of dish soap with water. The residual soap was enough to do the job.

Lately, I've been using Ballistol instead of my usual dish soap. It mixes well with the water and is pretty slick. They both seem give a nice, yet different, feel to the honing stroke.

Well, I wouldn't try it on my awase, but I do use windex (the ammonia variety, DEFINITELY NOT the vinegar type) on various synthetic stones and diamond plates... iron does not rust in alkaline environments so the ammonia acts as a rust inhibitor as well as the soap acting as a lube / surficant.

Sword polishers usually add sodium carbonate (washing soda) to the water in their stone buckets to accomplish the same end so while I am questionable about using bicarbonate, I have soaked my aoto and awase in washing soda.

Originally Posted by yuzuha

Well, I wouldn't try it on my awase, but I do use windex (the ammonia variety, DEFINITELY NOT the vinegar type) on various synthetic stones and diamond plates... iron does not rust in alkaline environments so the ammonia acts as a rust inhibitor as well as the soap acting as a lube / surficant.

Sword polishers usually add sodium carbonate (washing soda) to the water in their stone buckets to accomplish the same end so while I am questionable about using bicarbonate, I have soaked my aoto and awase in washing soda.

I understand the need for soda, and aoto can sometimes surely need some soaking. But which ones and why soak awase?

When needed I do use baking soda. What makes you skeptical? I am scared now

Even the stuff that Namikawa sells is not recommended for synthetics

I think even the hardest awase toishi is porous to some degree. There are probably plenty of vintage coticules out there that saw a long use with lather, maybe it did not harm them or maybe they would work better without; who knows?

I like to treat my stones the way I treat my innards. Cool clear water.

Oh, I don't think the bicarb would hurt anything... after all, they use it to buffer aspirin and as a stomach acid tablet. I just don't remember what pH level a small amount would give you. If it works for you, then maybe it is a viable alternative.

Synthetics vary... Shapton's resin stones absorb water and become soft and rubbery if you soak them for very long (half hour or more usually) and then you have to lap them to get their cutting power back. Not sure what sodium carbonate would do to a magnesia stone (the ones that are like abrasive in plaster of paris). Wouldn't hurt the baked clay stones (like most King or other brands that resemble the stuff flower pots are made of). Maybe it isn't so much not recommendinding the sodium carbonate as not recommending the soaking of magnesia and resin stones?