Oil stones This class of stones use oil as a lubricant to keep the fine metal particles generated by the sharpening process from embedding into the surface of the stone. Clogging is a potential problem with all stones. Natural oil stones are usually referred to as Arkansas stones, the softer variety, Washita. The coarse and medium grit oil stones will remove metal fairly rapidly. Because their surface is hard, oil stones wear very slowly and stay flat for a long time.
Some woodworkers object to the messiness of oil stones.
I have found that a mixture of water and dish soap works very well on oil stones. Because they are hard and slow to wear, oil stones are perfect for honing the narrow edge of a scraper blade. Water stones Man-made water stones have many advantages over other stones, and a few disadvantages. Wide variety of grits are available. Water stones are somewhat fragile and must be stored and handle carefully.