What edge for tomatoes?

[HeavyHanded]

My hypothesis is that sometimes slurry can be a negative thing. It certainly helps at grits 4000 and lower when you are still forming and shaping an edge. I think that at higher grits the slurry can sometimes round apexes unless you are very careful--in particular, attempting to put microbevels on when the stone still has slurry covering it seems to be cause of many of my own rounded edges.

I'm not much of a fan using slurries on waterstones. As you say, if one forms at a low or intermediate grit I don't rinse it immediately, but I find my results are more consistent without. It seems to slow the grinding speed down and reduce feedback, at least on my stones. Is useful for the lower grit levels as it diminishes the deeper scratches when using larger abrasives and reduces larger burrs with same. When finish I prefer a clean stone (though not dry).

On a hardwood lapping board or similar - have been using some slurries lately on my Washboard wrapped in baking parchment - works very well as a stropping paste. Some frightful edges can be made on a lapping board in this manner, on a hard stone I don't get the same effect. The thicker oil-based slurry has advantages over water based in that you can inspect the pattern it leaves on the cutting edge and see as well as feel exactly where you're hitting on the edge (or backbevel if doing a cosmetic polish).