View Full Version : Do Oil Stones need to be prep before using for 1st time?
Bert Pacleb
11-06-2009, 2:29 AM
I bought one of those stone sets were you rotate a 3 stone rig to go from grit to grit. And when I put oil on the coarse stone it just disappears into the stone. I stays on the surface for a little bit.. then the stone soaks it up. Is this normal??
If I get one of those 3 inch wide stones will it do the same thing?? do I have to soak it in oil???
thanks
Robert Rozaieski
11-06-2009, 7:45 AM
Depends on whether the mfg. pre-soaked it or not. Sounds like yours were not. Just get a small bottle of mineral oil from the grocery store or pharmacy. It's much cheaper than an equal volume of pre-thinned honing oil but basically the same thing, only thicker. Thin it a bit with some turpentine (the oil straight from the bottle is too thick), put the stone in a freezer bag and cover with oil. Let it sit overnight and you should be good.
george wilson
11-06-2009, 8:27 AM
Are you sure you don't mean thin with mineral spirits? Turpentine can get very much like Karo syrup when it starts to dry,becoming turpene resins. I used to make varnish out of turpene resins from bubbling air through turpentine. Left alone,it will eventually become like rock candy. Not sure about it mixed with a non drying oil.
Richard Niemiec
11-06-2009, 11:27 AM
I dilute drug store mineral oil with about 35% of kerosene, works for me.
Scott Burright
11-06-2009, 2:57 PM
Thumbs up on thinning with kerosene.
I have some presoaked Norton oilstones and one of those Smith's tri-hones, where the manmade stone is not presoaked, and yes, there is a huge difference!
Bert Pacleb
11-09-2009, 4:22 PM
Is there a way to tell if the stones are pre-soaked in oil, just by looking or feeling?
The smith tri-stone that i have, I used up all the oil that it came with. It just soaked right into the coarse stone. one drop of oil was enough for the other 2 grits to stay on top.
How much oil/kerosene mix am I going to need to fill up the coarse stone? Can I keep using this mix to sharpen with?
Scott Burright
11-09-2009, 4:30 PM
Is there a way to tell if the stones are pre-soaked in oil, just by looking or feeling?
The smith tri-stone that i have, I used up all the oil that it came with. It just soaked right into the coarse stone. one drop of oil was enough for the other 2 grits to stay on top.
How much oil/kerosene mix am I going to need to fill up the coarse stone? Can I keep using this mix to sharpen with?
Presoaked stones feel oily and don't guzzle down oil like that dry Smith's stone. I dunno how much oil it'll soak up.
The other two stones on your tri-hone are natural Arkansas stones and aren't so porous. So they won't soak up the oil like that.
Yep, you can sharpen with the kerosene/mineral oil mix.
The 8" combo Norton Crystolon stone shown here is presoaked. So is the equivalent Norton India stone. You can get either one for $20 or less.
Jim Nardi
11-09-2009, 8:34 PM
You need to flatten them. Then add mineral oil.
Bruce Branson
11-10-2009, 2:18 AM
I use baby oil from the 5&10.Cheap and smells good too.:)
george wilson
11-10-2009, 10:26 PM
Actually,I meant thin with KEROSENE!!! Some old timers just leave their carborundum & India stones soaking in kerosene.
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