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A trick I do is fill my shaving bowl with water and the soap residue dissolves into it. If I need a little extra I add *one* drop of dish soap.

I buy this explanation too. I still am in the camp that there may be some oil or soap in the mix somehow too though, because I simply can't think of a mineral that would make an elastic slurry, or...

If it were any of the halogens (flourine, chlorine, bromine, iodine etc) They would be highly toxic, would be slightly coloured, and smell strongly...

I would guess if it is a reaction it is most...

My best guess is that a previous owner used it a lot with lather or soap and that it permeated the surface of the hone- so that a regular lapping didn't remove all of it. After all, isn't most rock...