Oil vs Water

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FRJ
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by FRJ »

marinaio61 wrote: Mon Nov 02, 2020 3:17 am and can't understand why anyone would want to intentionally risk getting water in parts of a knife where it could hide long enough to cause damage!

I use compressed air on my pocket knives after sharpening to remove all water to the point of a completely dry knife.
I think there is a concern for loosening covers with compressed air and I am cautious when I use it but I have never had a problem. Sure gets rid of lint.

Welcome here, by the way.
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by Mumbleypeg »

marinaio61 wrote: Mon Nov 02, 2020 3:17 am I have used oil since the '50's and don't make a mess, don't clean my stones with water -that's what WD40 is for
Thanks. :lol: I always wondered what WD-40 was good for. ::shrug:: Now I can use up those cans I’ve been given for Christmas. Oh wait, I sharpen with water. Never mind. ::facepalm:: :lol:

I’m being facetious, but in fact I really don’t have a high opinion of WD-40. ::skeptic:: it’s good for what it was invented for - water displacement. It’s a lousy lubricant, a fair-to-middling solvent, and a great marketing success story. JMO ::stir::

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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by wv trapper »

My Pop showed me how to free hand many years ago and he used water. I now use mineral oil on my Diamond stone to put a working edge on my knife, after getting it where I want I switch to a fine ceramic stick to take any burrs off and finish with a leather strop. I've done this for years and it seems to work for me I guess in the end result it is what works for you.
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by jmh58 »

jmh58 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:13 pm I got some new stones in and am deciding on oil or water.. I have sharpened knives for the past 25yrs or so and have used oil on all my stones.. Decisions do I want to try water??? Messy?? I have read all posts here and still undecided.. ::facepalm::
John :D
Soo.. I ended up using oil as I have for many yrs.. Guess old habits are hard to break.. ::facepalm:: :lol:
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JACK OF ALL TIRADES
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by JACK OF ALL TIRADES »

Not that I am very good at it but I do it at the sink with Dawn to sharpen and lather it up to get the stone clean. I like to run the stone on the edge and hold the knife, sometimes
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

When I am using diamond stones, I use none of the above. In other words dry. After a period of sharpening on dry diamond stones, I just take an old paint brush and sweep the debris off. The reason you use water or oil in the first place is to keep the pores of the stones from loading up or clogging with debris. Diamond stones don't have pores, so I run them dry. Other than that, on my other non diamond stones, on Japanese water stones I use water, on carburundom stones I use oil.
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by Alien883 »

Makes no difference, as long as you have matter that flushes the grit away and make your bevel glide on the stone service...its all good...no tomato ever will ask if you used oil or water on that knife!!!!
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by eveled »

I use diamond plates and use hand sanitizer or alcohol or water.
pitonyak
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Re: Oil vs Water

Post by pitonyak »

The answer to oil, water, or dry depends on who you ask. SharpeningSupplies.com did some testing and they generally state, do not sharpen dry:

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Shou ... -W115.aspx

There is talk about build-up and similar.

Norton India and Crystolon stones. Norton states the following: “Water is less messy, but we recommend using oil as it is more effective than water at keeping the stones from loading.” Also note that “most Norton benchstones are impregnated with oil as part of our manufacturing process.”

Diamond Stones. Sharpening supplies recommends water because there are no pores to fill on diamond plate. If I use water, I always add just a drop or two of Dawn dish washing detergent. I have had rust on my diamond plates when I use water.

The the DMT FAQ states: While we recommend you use DMT® products dry or with water only, it is acceptable to use a variety of lubricants when sharpening with DMT® products. Mineral oil, mineral spirits, kerosene, WD40 can all be used without harming your DMT®.

Best Sharpening Stones recommends Krud Kutter because it works well and is very inexpensive. Obviously Trend recommends their fluid claiming that WD40 (and similar) are too thick causing skating. And their product reduces rust. I find it too expensive.

I often use Smith’s, a non-petroleum based and features built-in stone cleaning agents and rust/corrosion inhibitors. Very happy with it. It has worked fine for me on Arkansas stones as well.

Gatco honing oil also claims usability with Diamond plates, but also with their other sharpening stones. Their Ultimate Diamond Hone Sharpening System includes this oil; well, I think that all of their sharpening systems come with and recommend this oil. It has worked fine for me on Arkansas stones as well.


Shapton Glass Stones. I like them because I do not like soaking. The Shapton FAQ says that although you can use oil, once you use oil you should always use oil. I only use water here.

Water Stones. Water stones, especially those that you soak, I have only used water. I prefer Shapton stones that I do not have to soak, however.

Ceramic stones such as Norton Ascent and Spyderco all claim that they can be used dry. I find that they load less if I spritz them with water. Note that the Spyderco Medium stone (brown) absorbs a lot of water when you do this. I do not always do this, for example, when chip carving or when using my Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Arkansas Stones. I never use these dry and I have only ever used a light oil. The claim is that a light mineral oil prevents clogging better than water. Some testing done by people in the Badger and Blade forum tested with Water, Smith’s honing solution (water soluble version), and a light oil found that with water and with Smith’s the stone would eventually glaze (develop a highly reflective surface from a non-reflective matte surface). A claim is also made that the stone will cut faster and longer when using a light oil. From what I can tell, the coarser the stone, the more likely it will work OK with water, but the pores will still fill faster than with oil. So I do not use water with Arkansas stones.
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