How do I use these oil stones (and tell me about them)

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Most of my sharpening stones are water stones and it is what I have typically used. My Father owns some BEAR branded stones (that I do not use, but expect to have someday), and I was recently given a couple of stones.

One of the stones says BEAR brand Medium India Oilstone MB6, Another Norton Product. I maintain a reference document that lists a Medium India as roughly 53 microns or close to a 220 - 240 grit sandpaper here in the states.

oil_stone_002.jpg

I also have this combination stone. I am not sure precisely which it is since it contains no markings, but I am pretty sure that it is a Norton / Bear Crystolon stone. Medium and course or Medium and fine, not sure which.
oil_stone_001.jpg

So I was using the Crystolon to sharpen my hatchet and I thought "hey, this is an oil stone, I should put oil on it".... So I added some mineral oil to the stone, and it just pretty much disappeared into the stone like a bit of water on a dry sponge. Not having ever used these before, I was unsure if this was normal or not, so I simply stopped. Figured I should ask before I just kept dumping mineral oil onto the stone.

So, what is a good regiment for this stone? I am a bit embarrassed that I have no idea. I don't want to clog it up or render it unusable. I assume that I can flatten it the same as I would my water stones.

I suppose that I also never gave much thought as to how I should sharpen my hatchet. I have been using it a lot lately so I need to sharpen it. I think that some people uses files rather than stones. I should probably just google it, but, obviously I chose to use this stone, and it did a pretty good job, but it felt awkward, and I don't really have a good way to hold the head while I sharpen it. Wait, I should not hijack my own thread.... So, how do I use those oil stones?

[ken hatch]

Putting oil on will not harm oil stones, using them dry will. There are many ways to float the swarf from Jet A to Neet's foot oil to water, all will work (I can't attest to water, never tried it) to keep the stone cutting.

Even though the India is not a natural stone a med India is one of my favorite course stones. I've no experience with Crystolon stones.

ken

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Norton stones are supposed to be preloaded, but, if this is absorbing oil like crazy, should I resoak them in oil? I had planned on using mineral oil, but that is feeling expensive if I need to buy a large enough amount to soak the stone. And does it matter if I mix the oils?

[steven c newman]

I soaked mine in a tub of Quaker State.......one quart will do.
the oil in the stone.jpg
Turn them over a couple times, let them soak a day....
three stones.jpg
Then "air dry" a day.

[bridger berdel]

I've heard reference to soaking them in warm vaseline to fill the stone, then using whatever form of mineral oil you prefer for honing. The idea is that the vaseline won't run back out of the stone once it cools, thus avoiding a mess. It also won't shed the mineral oil. if I were going to try this I think I'd put the stone and the vaseline in a ziplock baggie under a warm lightbulb overnight.

I've never tried this. I haven't included stones like that in my sharpening kit, though I do have a few of them kicking around. I see them often enough on the secondhand market, obviously well used and cared for so I believe that they can be useful and effective tools.

[Jim Koepke]

If you want to use mineral oil, check the prices between the pints sold in the health care section of a grocery store and the gallons sold at many feed stores. The mineral oil in feed stores is used on horse's hoofs and may not be a food grade product. Mine gets used on cutting boards so it needs to be a food grade product.

jtk

[Doug Hepler]

Andrew,

You asked about lubricant: as stated above you need something to float away the swarf, but it does not have to be oil. Some people use water or a water-based honing fluid. If the stones are not yet oily I think water would be fine. I think Smith's Honing Fluid (available from Rockler, Amazon, .. . ) is a mineral oil emulsion but it is labelled as non-petroleum based. I think motor oil and Vaseline are much too heavy. Light mineral oil is OK.

You asked about flattening: Based on my experience only, an oilstone is considerably harder than a waterstone (the binder, I mean). I can flatten a waterstone with abrasive mesh but an oilstone is too hard for that. I can get it done with lots of alumina sandpaper. It's a pain. If I was going to hone with oilstones I would buy a diamond flattening stone.

I have tried oilstones, waterstones, wet grinding and finally settled on dry grinding when necessary. I hone with SiO2 sandpaper. Keeping waterstones flat is a pain. Oilstones need to be flattened less often but are a bigger pain. I know that this seems to be an issue of personal preference. Just my two cents worth.

Doug

[bridger berdel]

The vaseline/ motor oil is to fill the stone so it doesn't absorb so much honing oil. If you fill up a porous stone with light oil it will tend to leak out and make a mess where you work. Also, with coarse, porous stones a heavier oil works well for honing.

[lowell holmes]

Did you guys ever hear of 3 in 1 oil?

[steven c newman]

Use it all the time...

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Did you guys ever hear of 3 in 1 oil?

I think that literally speaking, it is a brand. When I first noticed it, I think that they had one product and we had it in a small metal can, and I think that it was a light weight oil, perhaps for use on things such as sewing machines and similar applications.... Does that sound right?

[steven c newman]

That is the stuff.....red & white cans/bottles.

[steven c newman]

I do have a 600 Medium India stone, a couple Crystolons , and a couple of those "I'm not sures"....Nothing real fancy, stone wise....

i do use that 3in1 oil on the stones, and the wet-or-dry sandpaper.

Sellers has been known to use "Glass Cleaner" ( Windex?) on his sandpapers....

[Rick Malakoff]

FWIW, If the plane iron/chisel need a touch up then the fine side if the Norton combination India stone and then finish it off on and old Ka-Bar hard Arkansas and then maybe 1500 wet/dry and I only use a Windex type from the .99$ store. I don't use oil anymore.

Rick

[Andrew Pitonyak]

FWIW, If the plane iron/chisel need a touch up then the fine side if the Norton combination India stone and then finish it off on and old Ka-Bar hard Arkansas and then maybe 1500 wet/dry and I only use a Windex type from the .99$ store. I don't used oil anymore.

Rick

Interesting.... I never would have guessed Windex. I looked up the ingredients, but (1) I did not recognize most of them and (2) the ingredients are probably different from the version you are using from the 99 cent store.