Originally Posted by
John C Cox
I can see the allure of synthetic stones.
For me water stones are easier. They are also messier.
My main reason for using oilstones is on curved blades. Gouges have a tendency to gouge water stones. It's not hard to gouge a water stone with a flat blade.
Besides, my shop doesn't have running water and during the winter water in the shop freezes on the colder days.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)