Does anyone still use oil stones?

[Stuart Tierney]

I have a work sharp, but want to take the plunge. I read the thoughts on stones all the time, but I must confess it confuses me. No offence to Stu in Japan, but I scratch my head why we need to order stuff from Japan (shipping). Must be a reason, since so many guys seem to do it. I would like to go with oilstones for a variet of reasons, but keep procrastinating becue I just don't seem to be able to figure out what to get.... Guess I'll keep reading!!!

None taken.

I've got a set of oilstones in a drawer right next to me, and I actually do use them occasionally. I grabbed a cheap-o set from somewhere a while back and there is a soft, hard, black and translucent there.

From what I read and hear, my soft is not bad, the hard is 'meh' the black is great and the translucent is 'normal'. I can use them to put a very nice edge on most anything I have here, including the really stupid hard/tough HSS stuff I've got.

I think oilstones are ok, but as is the 'problem' (used loosely) with a natural product, there are variances in stones and most folks don't have the 'guts' to risk their hard earned money on something that might be wonderful, but might not be too. It's a risk, and some folks dislike taking risks. I think that as with all natural products, if the person who's first putting eye on them knows their stuff, they'll be able to pick and choose with relative accuracy the good from bad.

But still, it's a little hit and miss and folks don't want to play that game. No matter the reassurances, it's still too much of a leap of faith. Happens with all manner of things, not just stones. Ever buy apples by mail order? A steak?

As far as me shipping stuff out? There are lots of good, reliable and dependable manufactured products and they are thick on the ground here. Also the cost of shipping overseas is reasonable and not difficult to do. Takes time, something I had a lot of when I started, something I have virtually none of now.

(Writing this with a bowl of oatmeal in front of me. I might be in Japan, but oatmeal is what seems to work best for me breakfast wise. Only took 10 years to work that out...)


As for your unwillingness to just 'jump in' on oilstones, it's the mail order steak thing. Plenty of folks have mail ordered steak and been happy, but there are quite a few who have not been impressed too, and the folks who were not pleased were not going in with extravagant expectations, it's just that they got a dud steak. Even if you can't put your finger on the exact reason, subconsciously the 'bad steaks' are probably causing you to not go for it.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to do a LOT of that 'shipping thing'.

Stu.

[Matt ONeill]

I started off with the shapton's, but switched to oil stones about a year ago. I have a black 10x3" arkansas stone that I leave out on my bench along with a strop. I've got A2 steel in almost all my tools, I don't think it takes very long to sharpen at all (< 1 min to touch up an edge). Now, that's most likely because of the fact that my stones are sitting right there, and they aren't messy, so I sharpen far more often. This means I'm doing almost all edge maintenance, and not re-profiling.

I would whole-heartedly recommend oilstones over waterstones.. It's made sharpening a much more enjoyable experience for me. I've also started using the "convex bevel" technique in the past few months, but that's a whole 'nother argument.

Here's that Schwarz post on oilstones: http://blog.lostartpress.com/2011/07...ones-whatever/

- Matt

[bridger berdel]

I use them all, diamond (plates and loose grit), arkansas stones, waterstones, india, razor hones, a belgian blue, mystery naturals, some very coarse corundum stones, jasper, compounds on various materials.... whatever seems like it might work. I use them in odd sequences, too.

for the last year or so I have been using most of them (waterstones excepted) with isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle. no rust issues and it cleans up easily. it's wetter than either water or oil so it gives a very direct tactile feedback from the stone.

[Winton Applegate]

Does anyone still use oil stones ?

Oh of course !
Keeps the papers from blowing off my desk.
I would be lost without one.

Just kidding. They are GREAT for 01 steel. Just right !
Though . . . almost every single blade I have is A2 or blue steel in the Japanese tools and they pretty much require the modern water stones to geeeter done.

Here is a good source that I like for oil stones.
http://www.danswhetstone.com/whychooseus.htm