I don’t spend as much tim in the shop as I’d like and when I do I’m often in a hurry. As a result the tupperware container I keep my waterstones soaking in hadn’t had the water changed in several months. It was a very dark coffee-looking brew. No smell or anything furry in there but where does the color come from? I have a King stone in there which has a dark wood base–is that the source? I’ve never read or heard about THIS aspect of waterstone storage & use before.
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Replies
Most likely you've started a biology experiment. Change the water and add one or two drops of chlorine bleach.
You'll have to ask the chemists for the details, but one of the forms of rust is black. When we drained our hydronic heating system, the water was black and permanently stained the base of the shower we drained it into.
I get that black buildup, too. In my sediment filter before my water softener. Acts like carbon--really stains bad. The stuff in the water container doesn't look like that or stain at all. It does form some sediment in the bottom so there may be something to the oxide explanation. Maybe my well water doesn't agree with the steel dust embedded in the stones?
Try writing with it.
Perhaps you've made ink.
Tannins, iron? - I'm not sure.
Fred in UK.
when you sharpen steel the tiny particles will rust and discolor, and the slurry of your abrasive is also reduced to tiny particles that will darken the work. Waterstones are rather soft per se. You abrade the stone like your metal. The tiny abrasives are knocked off or fried "sp?" and youll get that discoloration.
I'd bet on the wood. Take it out and see what happens. I can't think of any good reason to have to soak the wood.
The stone is permanently attached to the wood base. I really don't want to keep this stone out of the water--back to the part about always being rushed :-)
Sorry, I meant to take the base out of the water. I had a waterstone that was hot melt glued to the base but I removed it. It allows you to use both sides of the stone also.
If you brush off the stone under running water before you put it in the storage water, it should not be turning the water black. That's why I thought it was probably the wood in the base that was at fault.
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