Type of Oil for an Oil Stone

[Rich Riddle]

I have a Norton oil stone (well 3) and am wondering what type of oil should be used. Thanks.

[Luke Dupont]

You can use any mineral oil. 3-in-1 oil is available everywhere and works fine. Norton and several other companies also make their own honing oils that you can buy on amazon. You can even use cutting board mineral oil, as I sometimes do.

What oil stones do you have? I find that thicker oil (such as cutting board oil) works better on coarser stones such as Indias and soft arks, whereas lighter oils work better for finer finish stones such as hard / translucent / black arks.

[Jim Koepke]

I use mineral oil bought in the over the counter medicine section of our local super market. Last time it was less than $3 a pint. Some folks like kerosene. Have heard commercial lamp oils may not be true kerosene, not sure on that.

Then there is the mix your own by blending mineral oil and kerosene or mineral oil and mineral spirits.

jtk

[Luke Dupont]

I use mineral oil bought in the over the counter medicine section of our local super market. Last time it was less than $3 a pint. Some folks like kerosene. Have heard commercial lamp oils may not be true kerosene, not sure on that.

Then there is the mix your own by blending mineral oil and kerosene or mineral oil and mineral spirits.

jtk

Do you mean the mineral oil that is sold as a laxative, or is it sold in other forms as well? I was thinking about buying it at the pharmacy as well, but I wasn't sure if it had any odd additives.

That sounds like a great source, though.

[Kees Heiden]

I like baby oil now. I tried WD40 for a while, but it indeed leaves a weird smudge on the stones as it dries.

Baby oil is a simple mineral oil. It is cheap and easilly available. Get the stuff without the added scents, they smell awfull! I know it looks weird when a grown up man sniffs at all the bottles of baby oil at the superstore!

[Frederick Skelly]

When I was a kid, I can recall my Dad using - of all things - vegetable oil, the same stuff Mom put on salad.
Now Dad was just sharpening her knives at the kitchen table, but still, it seemed to get the job done well enough.
I dont know how he cleaned the stone afterward, but it never smelled rancid.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Marvel Mystery Oil! Get it in the auto department at Wallyworld, about $3.00 for a quart that will last for years. The Norton oil is also excellent, but costs more.

[Stanley Covington]

Problem with oils per se is that they are quite frequently toxic. And really, do you need a petroleum product for sharpening? Sharpening is the controlled use of abrasion, and is not made more efficient with lubricants.

Water works fine on oilstones, especially with a bit of dishwashing soap added to help float away swarth. Use distilled water sans chlorine, and add a bit of washing soda or diluted caustic soda to change the PH, and rust will never be a problem. Cheaper than anything in a can.

For a lot more money, you can buy non-toxic water-based cutting fluids from a machine tool supply house. These products are ideal for sharpening, far better than any plant or mineral-based lubricant.

Stan

[Trevor Goodwin]

The brand name honing oils are usually certified for use on kitchen tools. I doubt very much that these contain toxic components. Norton oil is not very expensive considering how much is needed, you can get a quart of this stuff for less that $20USD.

[george wilson]

Most any thinner oil will do. Back in the 70's and 80's,when I was instrument maker,I just used "Lock Oil",which was available at the museum's hardware warehouse. It was thin when first applied,but got thicker after a while(so it wouldn't run out of locks). By the time the solvent evaporated,I was done sharpening. And,I incorrectly used it on Frictionite razor hones,obviously intended for use with soapy water. I had no running water in the 18th. C. shop,so oil worked fine. All my tools got razor sharp.

Just goes to show you that all kinds of methods can be made to work. Personal skill is the key factor. So,you guys,just learn to sharpen with what you have and no fancy jigs,and you'll be fine!

[Normand Leblanc]

I use baby oil for 10 years and I just don't see any problem with it.

[Patrick Chase]

Problem with oils per se is that they are quite frequently toxic. And really, do you need a petroleum product for sharpening? Sharpening is the controlled use of abrasion, and is not made more efficient with lubricants.

Water works fine on oilstones, especially with a bit of dishwashing soap added to help float away swarth. Use distilled water sans chlorine, and add a bit of washing soda or diluted caustic soda to change the PH, and rust will never be a problem. Cheaper than anything in a can.

For a lot more money, you can buy non-toxic water-based cutting fluids from a machine tool supply house. These products are ideal for sharpening, far better than any plant or mineral-based lubricant.

Stan

White mineral oil is used as a laxative. It isn't harmful unless you vomit it up and then aspirate it into your lungs.

The lighter distillates are a bit less friendly but even so you can get pretty benign stuff inexpensively.

[steven c newman]

About all I use on my oil stones is just plain old 3in1 oil. works for me....

Anyone here just soak their stones until they don't soak any more in? Haven't on mine...yet.

[Patrick Chase]

When I was a kid, I can recall my Dad using - of all things - vegetable oil, the same stuff Mom put on salad.
Now Dad was just sharpening her knives at the kitchen table, but still, it seemed to get the job done well enough.
I dont know how he cleaned the stone afterward, but it never smelled rancid.

Vegetable oils polymerize and dry to a solid layer of gunk after prolonged exposure to air. Mineral-based oils (white mineral oil, kerosene, mineral spirits, etc) stay liquid.

[Rob Luter]

Vegetable oils polymerize and dry to a solid layer of gunk after prolonged exposure to air. Mineral-based oils (white mineral oil, kerosene, mineral spirits, etc) stay liquid.

I found a nice Norton IM9 fine (320 grit) oilstone at a 2nd hand store. It has a layer of what appears to be solidified oil mixed with swarf all over the surface. At this point it doesn't cut at all. Hoping I can restore the stone as it's quite large and should be a good user. Any tips on how to dissolve the goo and bring this back to usable condition?