# Changing water for the Gesshin stones



## hmmm (Aug 12, 2012)

How regularly should you change out the water of the Gesshin stones when you leave them to sit in it. Cheers.


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## tk59 (Aug 12, 2012)

When you see mold on your container or it's dirtier than you like. The stones themselves (soakers) should be fine indefinitely.


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## Zwiefel (Aug 12, 2012)

Just don't leave your stone in the water indefinitely!


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## JohnnyChance (Aug 12, 2012)

Zwiefel said:


> Just don't leave your stone in the water indefinitely!



My soakers are in water except when I am using them.


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## unkajonet (Aug 12, 2012)

JohnnyChance said:


> My soakers are in water except when I am using them.



+1


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## GlassEye (Aug 12, 2012)

Water must be changed every 31.7 hours.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Aug 12, 2012)

GlassEye said:


> Water must be changed every 31.7 hours.



And don't feed them after midnight.


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## Zwiefel (Aug 12, 2012)

JohnnyChance said:


> My soakers are in water except when I am using them.





unkajonet said:


> +1




Really? I thought leaving them for more than 30-40 minutes would damage them...making them too soft. Does it depend on the specific stone?


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## JBroida (Aug 12, 2012)

lol... you guys crack me up. I leave my soakers in water all the time. My water gets changed daily (sometimes more), but the gist of it is to change the water before it starts to get funky. You can also add a tiny bit of bleach to your water to help it stay clean longer.


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## Cutty Sharp (Aug 12, 2012)

Bleach? I thought of this, but I'm not sure how sensitive the chemistry of the stones is and what might occur. Plus bleach has that short half-life. 

At any rate, unless you're a sharpening pro and always at it then your water probably sits around giving rise to some sort of ecosystem, and I at least wouldn't want my stones immersed in that. Okay, you won't use those blades for medical surgery, but appetite-wise at least I wouldn't want to be messin' with nice knives and skanky stones. The stones will absorb water and most of whatever else, presumably. Bacteria bricks!


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## JBroida (Aug 12, 2012)

bleach doesnt really have any negative effect on soaking stones... many resinoid stones and magnesia stones on the other hand, dont like bleach water as much.


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## tk59 (Aug 12, 2012)

Cutty Sharp said:


> Bleach? I thought of this, but I'm not sure how sensitive the chemistry of the stones is and what might occur. Plus bleach has that short half-life.
> 
> At any rate, unless you're a sharpening pro and always at it then your water probably sits around giving rise to some sort of ecosystem, and I at least wouldn't want my stones immersed in that. Okay, you won't use those blades for medical surgery, but appetite-wise at least I wouldn't want to be messin' with nice knives and skanky stones. The stones will absorb water and most of whatever else, presumably. Bacteria bricks!


Even bacteria have to eat something, lol. If you have water and rocks, the only stuff left to eat is the container or soap residue, etc. Pick any of your body parts. I'd bet there are more and weirder bacteria there than there are in my stones...maybe. :O


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## Cutty Sharp (Aug 12, 2012)

tk59 said:


> Even bacteria have to eat something, lol. If you have water and rocks, the only stuff left to eat is the container or soap residue, etc. Pick any of your body parts. I'd bet there are more and weirder bacteria there than there are in my stones...maybe. :O



Yup - and you seem to know things about my body parts that even I had no idea about! Still, I'd like to picture even my cheap stones in a pristine, crystal-clear, free-running mountain spring water environment - and if not, then dry. Yes, stones tend to enjoy a very pleasant lifestyle in my home.


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## obtuse (Aug 12, 2012)

I change my water weekly and add a little bleach to prevent mold growth.


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## Vertigo (Aug 12, 2012)

I leave my soakers submerged full time and only change the water when I get _really_ inspired. So much hassle with all the... you know... dumping of the water. And filling of the water. Bah.


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## Zwiefel (Aug 12, 2012)

JBroida said:


> I leave my soakers in water all the time.





Vertigo said:


> I leave my soakers submerged full time and only change the water when I get _really_ inspired.



Well....slap me on the @$$ and call me Charlie. Stupid interwebz lied to me!

From now on I'm going to pop them in the water when I get up on a sharpening day and not worry about it so much anymore. Glad I spoke up and got corrected. Thanks guys!


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## Pensacola Tiger (Aug 12, 2012)

Zwiefel said:


> Well....slap me on the @$$ and call me Charlie. Stupid interwebz lied to me!
> 
> From now on I'm going to pop them in the water when I get up on a sharpening day and not worry about it so much anymore. Glad I spoke up and got corrected. Thanks guys!



Just make sure your stones can be left in water. Not all can. Most naturals can't.


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## Zwiefel (Aug 12, 2012)

Pensacola Tiger said:


> Just make sure your stones can be left in water. Not all can. Most naturals can't.



Kitayama and Mizuyama?


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## ThEoRy (Aug 12, 2012)

The Kitiyama is basically a splash and go. Though I do like to soak it for 5 minutes or so before I begin. It's pretty much the only stone I don't have permasoaking.


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## Cutty Sharp (Aug 13, 2012)

At any rate, in my Korean kitchen & apartment I don't have the luxury of space for a permanent sharpening zone where appropriate stones can sit in murky water until the next sharpening session. I've already seen a couple of photos of people's custom-built home knife display cabinets, etc, and was wondering where some of you do your sharpening? Does anyone have a purpose-built sharpening room? Wouldn't be surprised! I will use the plastic table on the balconey outside, or the kitchen counter, and when done will have to put everything away.


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## [email protected] (Aug 13, 2012)

I'd love to have Jon change water at least once a day.... We wash our face at least twice a day, brush our teeth three times a day... why not stones?


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## Cutty Sharp (Aug 13, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> I'd love to have Jon change water at least once a day.... We wash our face at least twice a day, brush our teeth three times a day... why not stones?



Absolutely! Especially considering how stones are so much more important.


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## hax9215 (Aug 13, 2012)

Pensacola Tiger said:


> And don't feed them after midnight.



+1!!!

Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!!


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## hax9215 (Aug 13, 2012)

JBroida said:


> bleach doesnt really have any negative effect on soaking stones... many resinoid stones and magnesia stones on the other hand, dont like bleach water as much.



Jon, one has to be really stupid to question your wisdom regarding knives. Here goes!!! Won't any bleach negatively affect carbon blades vis-a-vis' rustING?

Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!!


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## EdipisReks (Aug 13, 2012)

Zwiefel said:


> Kitayama and Mizuyama?



don't soak the kitayama or other magnesia based stones.


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## JBroida (Aug 13, 2012)

hax9215 said:


> Jon, one has to be really stupid to question your wisdom regarding knives. Here goes!!! Won't any bleach negatively affect carbon blades vis-a-vis' rustING?
> 
> Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!!



its such a small amount and i dont recommend using the soaking water with chlorine as sharpening water... just for storing the stones. It sucks when you splash yourself and get light colored spots on your clothing


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## shankster (Aug 13, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> I'd love to have Jon change water at least once a day.... We wash our face at least twice a day, brush our teeth three times a day... why not stones?



Ha!! As long as he changes his underware daily,you're ok....


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## [email protected] (Aug 13, 2012)

shankster said:


> Ha!! As long as he changes his underware daily,you're ok....



yes, i don't need "kusai" (stinky) in my apartment...


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## Cutty Sharp (Aug 13, 2012)

If you are the boss, you shouldn't put up with it.


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## Zwiefel (Aug 13, 2012)

Cutty Sharp said:


> If you are the boss, you shouldn't put up with it.



Seems like that topic was covered a couple of days ago....


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## Citizen Snips (Aug 14, 2012)

my two non soakers are kitayama and arishiyama


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## Dusty (Aug 14, 2012)

I soak pretty much every stone I own, including Naniwa superstones, permanently. The SS's seem to benefit from being permasoaked, the 1000 especially used to glaze up every time i let it near something stainless, but now it builds mud faster and the glazing problem is fixed. I change the water as often as I remember - about twice a week.


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## Tatsuya (Sep 1, 2012)

Can anyone confirm permasoak status on the Suehiro Rika 5000? I perm the Beston/Bester stones but I've never soaked the Suehiro indefinitely.


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## JBroida (Sep 1, 2012)

i had mine soaked for years... just be careful with the wooden bases on the older ones... the new plastic ones soak a bit easier, but can retain water and get more mud inside... just be clean about it


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## Tatsuya (Sep 1, 2012)

Ok thanks, Jon. I do notice that it seems like you can spend an hour shaking water out of the base if you wanted to, ha.


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## JBroida (Sep 1, 2012)

np


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