[OP]
Member
I would like to get into sharpening some chisels and such using stones but dont know what I have here. I dont know what grit these are, if they are water or oil stones, what order should I use them in if I should use them all or just the Craftsman combination by itself? Also, whats the deal with this "Kimberley Special"?What kind of oil can you use for honing on stones or do I have to buy honing oil specifically. Thanks for any and all help.
Stone2.jpgstone1.jpg
Contributor
Where do you live Michael? Maybe someone close by can shed some light on this.
Do you have some better photographs? Can't see much detail. It might help if the boxes were readable.
The top right stone looks like some old oil stones that I have used.
You want to start with the course stone and move to the finer stones. Knowing which is which can be tricky at best. For the upper right stone, I can tell that the top is the course part of that combination stone.
Member
You can use unscented baby oil or mineral oil. Both are inexpensive and readily available.
Member
Some say you can use WD-40 as honing oil, I found mineral oil works much better.
[OP]
Member
Thanks, I live in Pittsburgh. The blue box is an old Craftsman Combo Sharpening stone #6440 and the smaller red box says "Kimberley Special" embossed on top. Also it says that on the side of the stone and on the other side it says "AM. HONE CO. OLEAN N.Y." I think its "OLEAN" not positive though...
Contributor
Michael, Welcome to the Creek. As Andrew mentioned, your profile doesn't list your location. You may live near another member who can help you with this in person. I am almost always happy to help another if you are in the Pacific Northwest.
Do you know any of the history of these stones? I am hesitant to state my opinion on these stones based solely on the images.
Water will not normally hurt an oil stone. Oil on a water stone will make a mess that may ruin the stone.
A few drops of water on these may produce evidence to indicate if thesr are oil stones.
The last thread we had on honing oils grew to lengths usually only seen in a sharpening thread. I is safe to say many different things will work. I like mineral oil. It is usually in every grocery stores home health section labeled as a 'Lubricant/Laxative.' It can be purchased in gallon size bottles at many feed stores. Last time I looked it was cheaper by the pint at our local supermarket. It is good for squeaky hinges. It helps to protect wooden cooking utensils and as the second use on the label testifies it is rather safe for human consumption. As that use requires a couple of table spoons there are no worries to be had about unwanted surprises.
Some like kerosene, mineral spirits or even a 'special' blend for their honing oils. The purpose of oil or water on a stone is to keep the swarf (the byproduct of rubbing steel on stone) in suspension so the stone doesn't become clogged.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Just did a quick Google of > kimberly honing stone < and found a discussion at at the 'straight razor place' web site.
SMC rules do not allow linking to other forums.
I will send you a PM in a few minutes.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
The Kimberly Special looks like a hone used by barbers for straight razors. It is likely one of the finer stones in the group.
Contributor
I am in Columbus, Ohio, so no help in person from me
The craftsman stone is available (in a variant anyway)
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-combi...p-00964404000P
it simply says course and fine, which is vague.
You can also purchase specific oil for this (Norton makes it, for example), but the Mineral Oil is not smelly...
I have not used oil stones much, I assume that you need to flatten them periodically.
I have seen "Kimberly" stones produced by "Birmingham Grinding Works", but I do not know much else about that, so I suspect that Kimberly sourced their products through others. My best guess is that this is related to razors since all of my searches show those and the AM HONE company related in that way.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...NE-CO-OLEAN-NY
I know, rough guesses and not much to go on.
[OP]
Member
Here is some more pictures.
Member
After that last thread to which you refer I took my own advice and went back to using Kerosene (I had been using Norton honing oil).Originally Posted by Jim Koepke
I ended up with a nasty case of contact dermatitis and a stiff does of Prednisone.
I've been using light petroleum distillates of various sorts without trouble for decades, so I suspect I reacted to some sort of contaminant in the K-1 I got at Lowes. Next time I'll go with RP-1 :-).
[OP]
Member
More Pictures
[OP]
Member
Thanks for all the help by the way. So anyways I go to estate sales and got a Stanley Bailey #7 for $20 and these for $1 a piece and was wondering with the stones I have if that will be good enough to sharpen/ hone them?
s6.jpg
Member
Far left looks like a carborundum. second from left looks like a fine & medium india. Third and fourth look like natural oilstones, but without a closeup of the top and the sides, I'm just guessing.
Great day in the 'Burgh yesterday for sports! Pirates win, then the Pens close out their home schedule with a win (I'm from DuBois).
T.
If the thunder don't get you, the lightning will.
Member
Woah, those chisels are a nice find.
I pretty much echo the same things everyone else said. I hesitate, for obvious reasons, but the lighter colored stone appears to be a hard ark. That could be your finishing stone.
Due to the age, I again hesitate but venture that waterstones were less than common when these were made. Oil is more likely.
They do need to be flattened depending on frequency of use, but nothing at all like waterstones. Your finishing stone might get touched maybe once every 5 years. Old timers rarely did it. Consider it something you do to prep one and then you don't do it again for a very long time. Like fettling a plane sole.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote