[Guest]

I have a wet stone and my executive chef keeps telling me to use soap on it because it causes the blade to stick better.

i just wanted to know if anyone has any info on this topic?

 

[grande]

Seen people do it- soapy water, not straight soap. Never noticed a difference myself

 

[foody518]

I suppose it depends on the type of stone as well. Is yours an oilstone?

 

[Guest]

no its not an oil stone.  do you think the soap would have any affect on the stone? i just dont want it ruined.d

 

[brianshaw]

That could be a reference to the old barber trick of using shaving lather on the honing stone. I never tried that, though.

 

[kokopuffs]

I got oil stones and leather strops with green stuff and ain't ever heard of that stuff before.  Hell, it waxy and why t. f. not???

 

[foody518]

Your holding and pressure on the knife should be adequate...don't know why you got suggested to use soap.

 

[Guest]

Its more for the friction between the blade and stone.  you would still apply the same pressure you normally would its just to get a sharpe blade as per my chef

 

[foody518]

I think it's dubious. There's nothing about soap that will shape the edge qualities. As you said, it's about friction between blade and stone. I'd only ever heard of soapy water (don't know if you meant this and not straight liquid soap) on oilstones, but this is the first I've heard of that for waterstones. Most all (I suppose I can't say 100%) users continue to use water and get excellent results. I would think the thicker your liquid media, the less quick your results, as friction is more dampened.

 

[mike9]

The stone slurry you build that really does the cutting.  Many people wash that away as they sharpen shortening the lives of their stones.  That's what a nagura is for - to build the slurry before sharpening.  Soap is usually used as a lubricant, but with Japanese water stones water is the lubricant.