I might give it a try since I have some. I am slowly working through all of my existing honing solutions to see how they work. My recent tests where comparing Gacko to Smith's on Diamond stones.
I might give it a try since I have some. I am slowly working through all of my existing honing solutions to see how they work. My recent tests where comparing Gacko to Smith's on Diamond stones.
Over the last 59 years I have used motor oil, kerosene, oil and kerosene mixed, olive oil, mineral oil, Fiebings neatsfoot oil, baby oil, thread cutting oil (dark and light), lather, 3-in-one oil, Smith's honing oil, and Norton's honing oil. They all work. What is the best? Honing oil, not such a surprise.
Traditional oils are olive oil, used since ancient times, and sperm oil.
Norton's oil is $17 a quart. Some guys are constantly changing stones, which is much more expensive.
I use the Norton oil also, Warren. Yes, it is more expensive. No, I don't care. I spend a lot of hours in the shop, most of it hand work, and I don't remember when I bought the last quart. Probably close to 2 years ago, and I need to order more soon. So…8 or 9 bucks a year? Doesn't seem much of a price to pay for something that is easy to obtain and clearly delivers better results.
Moreover, it is disturbing to see the lengths people will go to to save a couple bucks. Kerosene is terrible for you and flammable as hell. I assume diesel oil or whatever is the same. WD-40 is too thin and also carries risks from long term exposure. The laxative mineral oil is garbage; it is way too thick, especially on a fine stone. I was sorry to see a recommendation for that and feel bad for anyone who wasted their money. Oh well, I guess you can use it if you're feeling a bit stopped up.
Priorities, people. Look at the big picture.
"For me, chairs and chairmaking are a means to an end. My real goal is to spend my days in a quiet, dustless shop doing hand work on an object that is beautiful, useful and fun to make." --Peter Galbert
"For me, chairs and chairmaking are a means to an end. My real goal is to spend my days in a quiet, dustless shop doing hand work on an object that is beautiful, useful and fun to make." --Peter Galbert
Wow did I learn a lot from this thread.
I wanted to understand the difference and I assumed that the msds would show that some product were essential all mineral oil with kerosene; I believe that to be false.
I have heard that I can buy a gallon of mineral oil for like $20 and it will last me a lifetime. Well, if a gallon is more than a lifetime supply, I can buy a gallon of Dan's for under $90 and I can afford that fire a lifetime of sharpening. My point is that I want to know what will work best for me in how it works. If cost was my only consideration, nothing beats water... Unless it has other properties that make it less desirable; for example, costs me more time reconditioning a stone or similar.
Also, knowing other things I can used in a pinch is very useful.
I cannot express my thanks enough for all I learned.
Special call out to Stew Denton here.
Andrew Pitonyak.
I used bacon grease once, in a pinch, and it worked better than you might think it would have.
It's kind of a funny story, but too long to type out here, in detail. A knife salesman came by the house I was staying at when I was young, and had not had the first stones long. I couldn't resist showing him what sharp really was, so sharpened one of my friends old kitchen knives to compare to the ones he was selling. I think that was 1974.
That is awesome...
I had a knife salesman giving me a pitch. Part of the pitch was to see if you had a knife that could cut a tough piece of rope. Their knife (that they used) had some small serrations so I knew exactly what was going on. I had a knife with a serrated section that easily cut the rope.
Well..if you ever decide to start making cutting boards....you can soak them in the mineral oil....as a finish.
That was exactly the presentation that this guy gave. He was using a serrated knife, and wanted to compare it to a straight bladed knife that my host had. I asked him to wait until I sharpened the old butcher knife. I had the stones in my van (was living out of it at the time), but couldn't find any oil. I used bacon grease from my friend's kitchen. The butcher knife sliced the rope in one smooth cut. The salesman said, "It must have been the bacon grease", but didn't make a sale at that house.
First, be kind. Everyone here has always been so to me....
That said, you guys are cracking me up a little bit and it makes think of something that my 14 year old daughter said to me yesterday in response to people calling a spider poisonous.
That spider is poisonous if you eat it and die. That spider is venomous if it bites you and you die.
I took the comment string as good-natured ribbing and my reply was intended as a continuation thereof. I apologize if it seemed otherwise.
That said, I like your daughter’s sense of humor. If she says it again, you could point out that the venom sac is likely poisonous, so they’re probably not wrong calling it a poisonous spider. . .
Andrew, please tell her she is already making the world better. I'm picky about using the right word , but pretty
sure I have not been using those two words correctly. Gonna remember the difference.