Honing oil?

Steff

Well-Known Member
A question to the knowing.
My honing oil is running low and I was wondering if this is really a special oil. Or is it just a regular engine oil sold a special price?
 
It’s not engine oil. As that has various additives that keep your engine clean etc.
What are you honing? Does it involve food prep? As that makes a difference I believe to what oil you should be using.
That said my mate uses an oil stone, but puts washing up liquid and water on it to sharpen with. That’s what they used in the slaughter yard he worked in.
 
Honing oil - a thin light oil such as 3 in 1 works well. Paraffin or White spirit ditto. A good gob of saliva also works very well - old woodworkers trip. Washing up liquid also good and declogs a stone.

But it also depends on the stone. The above are good on hard carborundum type stones.

If use a softer japanese water stone then use water.

Final finish sharpening do with a leather strop. Makes a blade very very sharp, but cam make it a little fragile. If you are using a blade for tougher stuff then keep with just a stone. Toughness at expense of a little sharpness. Like every thing in life - its a compromise.

I always wash a blade after honing prior to using it on food so any mineral oil would be washed off.
 
Thank you, guys, for the tip regarding washing up liquid.
But it doesn‘t really answer the question.
 
I'd just use plain mineral oil, which is also available in food safe grades if you're too idle to wash the knife after sharpening. The essential difference between it and branded honing oil is cost.
 
I got a tip from a cabinet maker who sharpened his planes several times a day to keep them razor sharp. He used wd40, and that’s what I have used on my oilstone ever since.
 
I got a tip from a cabinet maker who sharpened his planes several times a day to keep them razor sharp. He used wd40, and that’s what I have used on my oilstone ever since.
I wouldn't use WD40 as it leaves a residual coating and will gum up the pores of the stone much the same as it does when it gums up locks or triggers when sprayed on them. My father who was a carpenter and joiner always used a light oil and would also clean off his oil stones regularly with meths.

I wish that I had paid more attention to him as he was a master at sharpening chisels, planes and other blades. He would always comment on my mediocre efforts at sharpening a blade with either of the following comments-
a) I could ride bare arsed to Cardiff and back on that.
b) You would make a grown man carpenter cry.

I can see the tip about using washing up liquid working though and will have to give it a try when I next sharpen a blade.
P.S. I've cheated and made myself a knife sharpening guide in the last couple of days. It seems to work a treat.
 
Never use oil on an oil stone , Ok i will explain that further "honing oil" is what you need NOT CASROL GTX , 3 in 1 etc etc. and its very available its very much like kerosene , indeed it very well might be but hey as its easy to obtain in town let alone on -line , why the Heck would you use something else? .
if you have a waterstone only ever use water and remember they need a long soak
Diamond stones are to be used dry
Personally i have a very old oil stone that i use 99% of the time , I have a set of diamond stones i take with me on trips , not for my knives as i am good to above 50 beasts or so (more than i have had in a week) but for " could you please ...... ? "
If you have an oil stone that's contaminated by water , dry it in the oven on a low heat then soak it submerged in honing oil .
 
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