Touch On

[Doffy]

"He touched a stick to the mysterious object."
"He touched a stick on the mysterious object."

How are on and to different?

[billmcd]

I would not understand any difference if spoken as such.

[Doffy]

So, these are the same too?

"He touched his hand to the wet paint."
"He touched his hand on the wet paint."

[BobK]

So, these are the same too?

"He touched his hand to the wet paint."
"He touched his hand on the wet paint."

To me both these (and the original pair) sound stilted. One touches something (a target/object) with something.

b