Earlier some people were discussing DE and its effect when wet. We have been working with Perma Guard, DE miners and manufacturers, for several years and have learned a few tips from them.
If you mix DE is water it actually expands, not sure if it is more of less sharp but it does expand, increasing the surface area for that wonderful "sweeping away of bad things" that it does. If you mix DE with oil or oil-based products it actually softens the edges, much like putting an emollient or oily substance, on dry skin.
We learned this while prepping to plant garlic. We grow about 2.5 tons a year and we dip it all in water and then in DE before we plant. It does wonders for repelling wireworm and mites, two of the pests we have had some trouble with in the past.
