>>273618>learn to use stone, steel, and stropThere are differences of opinion on using oil. Oil makes it easy to maintain your stones but leaves more microscopic nicks in the blade because it lifts the swarf. I use oil on my soft and hard Arkansas stones but use my black hard stone dry. I have a soft Arkansas stone that goes camping with me that I use water (or coffee or spit or whatever's handy and has no sugar in it) to lubricate. It does fine.