Proper oils to use when using oilstones?

[Kevin Blunt]

Hey guys,
Quick question. I am about to do some initial shaping of some older plane irons and am going to be using a carborundum medium/coarse oilstone. What is the proper oil to use with this? I am thinking about trying mineral oil because I think I read that was the best oil to use somewhere before. Any thoughts or opinions? Thanks a bunch.

[harry strasil]

Any light oil works well, the oil just washes the steel outa the stone pores anyway, I have used honing oil, 3 in 1 oil, olive oil, and sewing machine oil, just don't make the mistake of using WD40 as it leaves a film behind that becomes gummy and will plug things up and sometimes ruin a stone.

[Gabriele Piccini]

Hi All,
firtly I must say I am not an expert :rolleyes: but lately I try myself well with kerosene. Once I added a bit of light oil but now I use kerosene alone.
For expert: am I in wrong?

Cheers
Gabriele

[harry strasil]

I am no expert, but kerosene is an exellent medium to use, just be careful of fumes flashing.

[Brent Smith]

I found that using kerosene alone led to my stones clogging quicker. Mixing kerosene with oil at a ratio of 1-2 worked well for me. The kerosene makes for quicker cutting and the oil keeps the steel floating free. Mixing is all well and good, but the simplest solution is a commercial honing oil like Norton's.

[William Daly]

I was told by a woodworking instructor to use #2 diesel fuel, which is available at most gas stations. It has a much lower flash point than kerosene.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Kevin, to answer your original question- Yes. I've used mineral oil for over 25 years on oilstones with no adverse effects to either the stones or the blades. It was originally my choice because of price when my family was young and I could buy 3 times the amount of mineral oil for the same price as a small can of honing oil. Now it's just habit.

[Jim DeLaney]

I've used Automatic Transmission Fluid for about the last forty years. Works well, and a quart of it will last nearly forever.

[Tom Saurer]

When I started with my oil stones I used 3 in 1, which clogged them. It might have been because I was a beginner. I now use honing oil, which works well.