Stones: these any good?

[steven c newman]

Out and about the other day, Tractor Fest 2015. Walked around all the vendor's stalls...Found a few items. More on that later

One of the "deals" I got was these two boxes
320949
The smaller of these two is labeled "Fine"
I think I spent $5 for the pair.

I take it that these are Oil stones? The smaller one says to use dry, and wash with Kerosene.

All the way from Niagara Falls, NY. The longer one is 8" X 2" x 3/4"

"Pride of the Workshop" brand?

[Jim Koepke]

There are only a few abrasives in my shop that go unused. Even the coarse ones like these have their purpose.

jtk

[Andrew Pitonyak]

The company is still around, or at least the trademark is owned by a company that is still around

THE CARBORUNDUM COMPANY

Their history: http://www.carborundumindustrial.com/CarborundumHistory.aspx

carborundum is a silicon carbide stone, does the box say carborundum on it anywhere?

[steven c newman]

Both of them do. The smaller one is also a "Fine" stone. About $2.50 each. Will have to try them out after awhile...might have to find a bit of Kerosene to clean them with?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Both of them do. The smaller one is also a "Fine" stone. About $2.50 each. Will have to try them out after awhile...might have to find a bit of Kerosene to clean them with?

I assume, therefore, that these are Silicon Carbide stones made by a company with a good reputation.

These are faster cutting than Aluminum Oxide (well, they should be), but I expect them to still cut slower than a good water stone (just because oil cuts slower is so often repeated).

I don't use oil stones, but I was told that you can use water with some soap mixed in with it if it has never been used with oil before (otherwise, they say to boil it to get the oil out). According to clovegarden,


Silicon carbide stones are considered "oil stones" but work just fine with water.

That said, i would still use oil with it. Some people prefer to use them dry, but I am not sure how they get the metal bits to "float away" rather than just clog the stone. I would not use it dry. As for the kerosene, I thought that you only needed that If the pores have been filled due to improper lubrication, at which point you can clean by soaking in kerosene, then wash off the surface with a brush soaked in kerosene.... I think that you can try it out if it is not already clogged to see how it works before you find the kerosene.

[Robert Engel]

I wouldn't put a chisel or plane iron I cared about on them until I for flatness and determined the grit.
"Fine" can mean many things.

[george wilson]

Do they say China anywhere?

[steven c newman]

Already tried the "Fine" one. Stones appear to have never been used. The "Fine" one does cut a bit faster than the 600 medium India I also use. When I can get them down to the shop, I'll add a bit of oil to them....so far, so good.