Water stones

[bussy]

Evening all
Not really a question on sharpening. Just wondering if it's best to keep water stones submerged in water or just soak prior to use.

Thanks Marty

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I seem to remember different brands giving different recommendations. I've kept mine in water for 30yrs without any problem, but I have heard that it's unwise in a hard water area as they tend to clog - what truth there is in that I don't know.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for someone to tell you to get an oilstone...

 

[adrspach]

Depends which one you have as they have different types of bonding used. I believe Norton and King are submerged however Naniwa is just sprinkle about ten minutes before use and just top up during sharpening.

 

[mouppe]

I leave my stones in water all the time. I have Norton and Ohishi stones. Doesn't make a difference in my experience.

 

[n0legs]

I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for someone to tell you to get an oilstone...

Okay then.
Phil get an oilstone :lol:



I've stored mine wet and dry. I always give them a light brushing off with a nail brush , so I've never experienced them clogging up.

 

[Vann]

I have King stones: a 1200g and a 6000g. I soak the 1200g for about 15 minutes each time before I use it. I just spray water onto the 6000g immediately before I use it. I'm fairly sure that's what the instructions with each stone recommended.

Having a container permanently full of water in my cramped workspace would be a PITA (and I have this vision of checking it one day and finding it full of thick brown mud :shock: ). I usually use the laundry tub to soak the 1200g (but sometimes use the kitchen sink and bench when SWMBO isn't home)

Cheers, Vann.

 

[John15]

I have King stones, a 1200 and 6000 grit. I store them in plastic bags to keep them moist then apply water just before use and rub them to form a slurry. Not sure if that's correct but it seems to work OK.

John

 

[mikebeetle]

If you do leave them soaked make sure they don't get frosted!

 

[bugbear]

Read the specific instructions. Some waterstones, especially the finer, softer ones, will actually break up with excess soaking.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Kitchen shops sell polyethylene boxes designed for storing rashers of bacon in. These are just the right size for water stones and are leak proof.

 

[Racers]

I leave mine in water (king brand) its the finer grades that don't really need soaking but they seem to be fine left in all the time.

A squirt of bathroom cleaner with bleach in keeps the green stuff away.

Pete

 

[bussy]

Good evening all
Thanks for all the replies/advice
Bugbear Not really one for reading instructions normally however i did on this occasion but my Japanese is a bit rusty I will look on the website to see if they have specific advice.
Phil.p & Nolegs, the reason i went for waterstones was, as never having sharpened anything before, looked on you tube and watched a video of Deneb from Lie Nielson and decided that that was the way to go, rightly or wrongly ??? (not that I can afford Lie Nielson)
Again thank you all for the advice

Marty

 

[iNewbie]

Depends which one you have as they have different types of bonding used. I believe Norton and King are submerged however Naniwa is just sprinkle about ten minutes before use and just top up during sharpening.

The Norton instructions are submerge 10 mins before use and sprinkle while using - I'd never leave mine submerged : Norton Instructions

 

[bussy]

Hi iNewbie
Just looked on the dieter schmid site and they say Japanese stones should never be left submerged but as Phil.p stated he's had his in water for 30yrs with no ill effect. I guess there's really no right or wrong !!! however as Vann said a container full of water is going to get spilled at some point, on reflection I think I will soak for a while then keep in a plastic bag (the stones that is) to keep them moist as John15 suggested.
Thanks for the input

Martyn

 

[iNewbie]

Hi iNewbie
Just looked on the dieter schmid site and they say Japanese stones should never be left submerged but as Phil.p stated he's had his in water for 30yrs with no ill effect. I guess there's really no right or wrong !!! however as Vann said a container full of water is going to get spilled at some point, on reflection I think I will soak for a while then keep in a plastic bag (the stones that is) to keep them moist as John15 suggested.
Thanks for the input

Martyn

I was pointing out the mistake in adrspachs' post and that the Norton stones aren't to be submerged and left in water. There's definitely a right and wrong and as Bugbear wrote: Read the specific instructions.

I have no clue what your stones are but a search on Google would inform you of what to do.

 

[bugbear]

Hi iNewbie
Just looked on the dieter schmid site and they say Japanese stones should never be left submerged but as Phil.p stated he's had his in water for 30yrs with no ill effect. I guess there's really no right or wrong !!!

No. The correct thing to do varies with the stone.

BugBear

 

[bussy]

Hi iNewbie, Bugbear
All I saying was that some people keep their stones in water some don't, I take the point that instructions are specific to brand, Norton instructions say soak for 10 mins before use however Mouppe keeps his submerged with no ill effect.
Should have said earlier mine are Kings, the instructions that came with them are in Japanese. I have googled but can't find a difinitive answer.

Martyn

 

[mouppe]

Yes coming up to 10 years that a couple of my less-used stones have been sitting in their bath. I do change the water every now and then.

Some instructions can be ambiguous. If it says it only needs a 5 minute soak does it imply that it's problematic if you keep it soaked for longer? I would say no. As I said before I have three brands of stones, I keep them all soaked and they all work the same now as on day one.

By the way the new stones stocked by LN (Ohishi) are a vast improvement on the recent Norton stones which have seriously deteriorated in quality over the last few years.

 

[MIGNAL]

I have a King 8,000 and it's never been submerged, just a quick spritz with water before sharpening. My 800G has been submerged for 10 years+ (hardly ever used) and it still seems perfectly OK.