Can you use plain mineral oil with these stones or do you need honing oil? I saw that some use mineral oil and kerosene but not just plain mineral oil.
A couple of day ago I was trying to set a bevel on a razor using a soft Ark. I was kind of experimenting so I used some Dan's honing oil (probably to much) but when I did some half strokes with pressure it felt like the blade was not even touching the stone, and know swarf to speak of was created. I cleaned the stone and used some Smith's solution, and completley different feel. Lots of swarf was generate from the half strokes.