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Any particular reason you want to use them with water, though? Any light mineral oil is sufficient, and cheap.
I also have a small surgical black stone that I like quite a bit; I don't want to make this even longer, so I'll just summarily say i think it's better for putting a finish on some blades sometimes, and I use it instead of the diamond stones with some smaller blades. That stone DEFINITELY doesnt need oil; occasionally Ill use water but not often. Its smooth and hard enough that the steel glides right along it, and the stone naturally has just the tiniest bite, which makes a satisfying sound when the angle and pressure are correct, which is helpful and only occurs when the stone is dry.
So that's a long, long way of saying: I think you can use water, but you dont have to. The stones work fine dry if you use a light touch and proper angle (and if not, miracle oil from the knife fairy wont help you). However, I know there are potential benefits to having a wet stone (a wet whet stone?) as far as cutting action, and also some people just prefer it. And that makes sense. What doesnt to me is why oil is necessary, and I wonder if it's an atavistic hold-over from days when blades weren't stainless steel, so using oil vs water was a wise precaution.
Any greasers out there who can explain why oil is necessary, beyond preference for how the stone/blade feel with it? Which is fine, but subjective. Any objective reason? Better for the stone?
1. The primary reason is that you need some kind of lubricant on Arkansas stones. If you don't use anything, the metal shavings get ground into the stone and it won't cut after a while. Lubricant doesn't completely prevent this, but it cuts down on it by a great deal. You can fix this by scrubbing or boiling the stones, but I'd rather avoid it in the first place.
2. Oil is fairly viscose; it stays on the stone without evaporating. Water works, but it's not ideal. Water is not a very viscose fluid, and it won't stay on the stone like oil will.
3. More subjectively, I like how it feels using oil vs dry or with water. It gives it a much smoother feel with better feedback imo