Honing Oils

[Cruzsito21]

Basically I'm a fixed blade/Pocket knife/woodcarving/leatherwork guy.
l really enjoy working with these old stones, like working with old well crafted tools.
learn alot about these stones and their variations here.
Question is about oils. "yes Im a oil guy" I understand some guys like soap/water
Which oils work for you best?

 

[Seveneighth]

This stuff for general honing:

This stuff for finishing:

 

[kelbro]

Smith's Honing Solution works well. Water-soluble too.

 

[jj_sharp]

I have been using kerosene, because I have some lying around the house.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Singer sewing-machine oil on Welsh slate.

 

[Njguy1977]

Balistoil and water 50/50 mix on my Arks. It’s also nice and visible when you hones day water soluble for easy cleanup.

Larry

 

[joamo]

Mineral oil cut with mineral spirits. a few drops of essential oils to help with smell.

 

[David]

Basically I'm a fixed blade/Pocket knife/woodcarving/leatherwork guy.
l really enjoy working with these old stones, like working with old well crafted tools.
learn alot about these stones and their variations here.
Question is about oils. "yes Im a oil guy" I understand some guys like soap/water
Which oils work for you best?

For knives and tools I like a thicker oil, so something like Norton's honing oil, which is just highly refined mineral oil I believe.

 

[jj_sharp]

I think baby oil reeks of bad smell.

 

[David]

I think baby oil reeks of bad smell.

Same here. I think some of the generic baby oil is fragrance free.

 

[jj_sharp]

I never found any scent free baby oil. A YouTube gun guy recommends mineral oil laxative for gun oil.

The reason I use kerosene is that I have it. I should try other oils to see if they make a difference. K1 does smell a little.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Fragrance free baby oil/mineral oil cut with refined (low odor) mineral spirits is my choice.

 

[duke762]

Greeting fellow oiler! Carbo's and Indias are very forgiving in the type of oil. I've used airline oil, precision spindle oil, and mineral oil. Washitas and soft Arks get mineral oil. My slate, Coticules and Hard Arks get the good stuff....WD40.

WD 40 is the bee's knee's. Do yourself a favor and try it!! Lifts swarf out of stones like crazy. Water like consistancy allows slurry generation on slates and Coticules. (Flame proof panties on)

Us oilers have to stick together.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Can you go between oil and water on the slates or does the wd40 get stuck in and they become oilstones?

 

[duke762]

On my 2 slates it comes right off with an orange cleaner spritz. Not all will behave like that.

 

[Alum of Potash]

What are your two slates?

 

[duke762]

Don't know or have any idea. The larger of the 2 went from doorstop to trusted and essential friend once I figured it out. I was thinking of doing a post on it to demonstrate how some stones just need to be learned. It only wants to work one way and that way works astonishingly well. Unlabeled slates can't accurately be identified most of the time so I just call him Bob. Bob Slate. I seriously need to re evaluate him as a finisher in his own right instead of a stepping stone to an Ark sometime.

 

[Bowmaker]

I never found any scent free baby oil. A YouTube gun guy recommends mineral oil laxative for gun oil.

The reason I use kerosene is that I have it. I should try other oils to see if they make a difference. K1 does smell a little.

I think the knock against kerosene is like WD-40 it becomes gummy with time. Probably to much made over it though because I have used all kinds of stuff over the years and none of it has ruined a single stone.

 

[jj_sharp]

What would you use on a hard, dry, very porous stone (may be like a Crystalon). I was thinking of transmission fluid because I have it and it is inexpensive. I could try k1 or food grade mineral oil which are also on hand.

Thanks, I may be overthinking this, considering there is pretty much nothing to loose.

 

[Bowmaker]

Some stuff probably isn't good for you to get in contact with your skin.