Combination Oilstone

[Andrew Nielsen]

Hi,

Is a Silicon Carbide (Crystolon) fine/course combination oilstone sufficient to start and finish honing at ? The course side is rated at 78 microns and the fine side is rated at 45 microns. 45 microns doesnt seem very fine however it's the finest these stones come.....If you were working with this oilstone, what would you continue honing/polishing on ? Fine India ? Wet and dry paper ? Green rouge ?

Thanks for your help,

Andrew

[Steve Dallas]

Hi,

Is a Silicon Carbide (Crystolon) fine/course combination oilstone sufficient to start and finish honing at ? The course side is rated at 78 microns and the fine side is rated at 45 microns. 45 microns doesnt seem very fine however it's the finest these stones come.....If you were working with this oilstone, what would you continue honing/polishing on ? Fine India ? Wet and dry paper ? Green rouge ?

Thanks for your help,

Andrew

If money is tight go sandpaper on glass. Your start up costs are small, but ongoing costs might get a little high if you do a lot of woodworking. If you want to stay traditional spend $20 on a fine India with an eye to getting a black or translucent Ark as soon as you are able. I've built plenty of furniture with edges that saw no more than a fine India. You learn to make do and you learn a little about stock selection and how to use a card scraper.

[David Weaver]

Hi,

Is a Silicon Carbide (Crystolon) fine/course combination oilstone sufficient to start and finish honing at ? The course side is rated at 78 microns and the fine side is rated at 45 microns. 45 microns doesnt seem very fine however it's the finest these stones come.....If you were working with this oilstone, what would you continue honing/polishing on ? Fine India ? Wet and dry paper ? Green rouge ?

Thanks for your help,

Andrew

Micron to micron comparisons are really only relevant with similar types of stones, so comparing something like a 6 micron hard black to a 6 micron diamond, the condition they leave an edge in much different.

Not wild about fine crystolon, but it'll do the job - it's hard to tell when it's flat or not flat, and not easy to flatten it. But if you're going to go the route of oilstones, I would probably add a soft arkansas or hard arkansas (either of those) and a black arkansas. If you want to go the cheap route for the final honing/polishing, I would avoid sandpaper and do something loose on a substrate (hard stable wood, soft metal or MDF) where you won't be buying paper and putting it on and off - less maintenance and cost, less hassle and it'll feel a lot more like using a stone.

If cost isn't the biggest issue, then I wouldn't go cheap. It cost me about $135 to come up with a large hard arkansas and a huge brand name surgical black.

What are you going to be sharpening (what types of tools) and what alloys - are you fresh in on the hobby with lots of options. If you're buying contemporary tools, and some of them have a chance of being high toughness tool steels or HSS, then the Crystolon will still cut them, but the natural novaculite stones will leave you frustrated.

[Andrew Nielsen]

Hi Guys,

I've been using sandpaper - gluing it on, scraping it off.....so my wishlist is a low maintence, clean, moderatly priced and wide enough for a large plane blade combination stone.

So given my wishlist above, what would you recommend ? Japanese, oilstone or stick with sandpaper on glass ? Diamond stones are simply too expensive at this point.

Andrew

[Steve Schoene]

I'd be much happier to start with an fine or medium India stone (these are the reddish tan stones from Norton) You can then go directly to a fine Arkansas stone. A little honing on plain leather, and you are good to go.

The only other sharpening tool you need is a grinder with a good tool rest. A white wheel, not too fine. Slow speed wheels are easier to avoid problems, though it is most important to keep the stone from being glazed.

I learned on oil stones and prefer them, in part because they need flattening much less frequently than water stones. I'd also rather leave a cutting tool with a slight oil sheen than with a few drops of water, since water means rust. Water or oil will equally damage work in progress if you are messy, so that shouldn't be a factor. Also consider whether your shop ever freezes in the winter. That requires a bit of extra care to avoid damaging waterstones.



But you do

[Jim Koepke]

Andrew,

Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't show your location, but if you are near southern Washington you are welcome to come and try my oil stones to see what you like.

I use them for some things, but find them much slower than water stones. I can get a pretty good and useable edge on a hard Arkansas stone.

In your case, my next step would likely be an India stone then the Arkansas stone.

jim

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Your profile doesn't show your location, but ... you are welcome to come and try my oil stones to see what you like.

Ditto if you live near Columbus Ohio. well, I do not own any oil stones, but, I do own a few water stones, a Tormek System, and sandpaper :D

[Derby Matthews]

I have many oilstones that're just gathering dust in one of my toolchest drawers. Since I bought a set of huge 11" by 2-1/2 DMT Diamond stones, the smaller business card in the same grits,the sticks with the colored handles, and the curvy ones, I've never looked back. Emery paper on glass is a close facsimile, and is really great for bulk removal with the lower grits. (Flashback: I ruined hours of work I'd already done on a baby grand piano lid once, by getting oil all over it back in the 80's - the cord on my pad sander caught the lid on my big old Norton multistone, flipped it off and spewed oil droplets across the lid - I was sanding it after removing the finish - STILL makes me cringe. Never did get the lid quite right after that debacle)

SO.... I've never regretted giving up oilstones in favor of waterbased. That said I still have a number of early and well made Crystolon, Arkansas, Silicone Carbide, etc. oilstones (I inherited most of these from my dad, they're all from the 50's and very flat) I'd sell as a set for very small money shipped for anyone who prefers them. They do have their place, just not in my clumsy hands.:D

[Sandy Stanford]

I'd be much happier to start with an fine or medium India stone (these are the reddish tan stones from Norton) You can then go directly to a fine Arkansas stone. A little honing on plain leather, and you are good to go.

The only other sharpening tool you need is a grinder with a good tool rest. A white wheel, not too fine. Slow speed wheels are easier to avoid problems, though it is most important to keep the stone from being glazed.

I learned on oil stones and prefer them, in part because they need flattening much less frequently than water stones. I'd also rather leave a cutting tool with a slight oil sheen than with a few drops of water, since water means rust. Water or oil will equally damage work in progress if you are messy, so that shouldn't be a factor. Also consider whether your shop ever freezes in the winter. That requires a bit of extra care to avoid damaging waterstones.



But you do

God Bless your soul and you are so right.