5 Essential Care Tips For Your Water Stones

5 Essential Care Tips For Your Water Stones

1) Regular Flattening

Keeping water stones flat with the Double-Time Flattening Stone.

A flat water stone is essential for good performance. Coarser water stones tend to wear faster and require more regular flattening. Flattening water stones can be done with a flattening stone or lapping plate. Our step-by-step guide on How To Flatten Your Water Stones will walk you through the process.

2) Bevel the Edges

Beveling water stones edges with the Double-Time Flattening Stone.

To reduce the risk of chipping the edges of your water stones, bevel the edges. Use a flattening stone to chamfer the edges at a 45-degree angle.

3) Store Dry

Water stones need to be used wet, but should not be stored that way.

Some water stones can break down if soaked in water long-term, so it is safer to store them dry. Let the water stone dry overnight before putting it into storage. Storing stones dry prevents mold.

4) Air Dry Only

Use a dish rack or lean your water stones against a wall for good airflow.

They can crack if you try to force your water stones to dry quickly. Simply let them air dry to keep your stones in the best condition.

5) Label the Grit

A collection of labeled Water Stones.

Label the side of your water stones with the grit. It is easy for the grit number to get worn away with use. Some stones are only color-coded and don’t have the grit printed on them. It is very easy to forget the grit based on color. A waterproof marker like a Sharpie works well to mark the grit on the side of the stone.