Dan's Whetstones Aluminum Oxide Oilstone

[les winter]

Has anyone tried Dan's version of the Norton Fine India?

Costs way more. They recommend you use it dry and to hit it with wet dry sandpaper when it loads up. Or at least that is what they told me when I called them. Looks like an interesting alternative. Presently I use a fine india and a hard black followed with a chromium treated leather strop. I have no complaints.

[Jim Koepke]

I do not know much about stones.

Right now my first question before buying any stone is what purpose it would serve. It would be difficult to justify buying an expensive coarse stone at present. My last one was a buck or two at a flea market.

Most of the time it is easier to use sandpaper if a blade comes to me in really bad shape. For most of my oilstone sharpening the fine India or a coarse Arkansas stone is good enough for minor metal removal.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

I find it difficult to buy any new oilstone, when they are so common and so cheap at flea markets and antique malls. They're also common at tool gatherings, such as PATINA and the MWTCA sales, though those that sell them ask a bit more, since they have a hunch of what they are.

Several tricks: first look for those with user made boxes (fancier the better) as this is an indication of the owner thinking a lot of the stone to make a case for it. Mext, take a fingernail and run it along the top to see if the stone is fine or coarse. The finer is better, as you can get dirt cheap, great india stones from Norton in coarse and medium. If the stone is not to dirty, hold it up and see if you can see light through it. if so, it is a transluscent, hard Arkansas, and run to the dealer and give him the $5.00 asked for it.

I have seriously bought dozens of washitas, black hard & transluscent Arkansas stones for a few bucks each. I have also paid up to around $100 for a stone with a fancy carved box (as I collect those). The box does not always guarantee a great stone, but more times that not, it does.