Difference between oil and water stones

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bexupnorth

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Hi All,

Can anyone help me work out if the stones I've recently bought off eBay are oil or water stones? They were bargains and streets better than the previous cheapie double sided thing I got from B&Q (though that seems to work OK for quickly getting a damaged edge back).

I've used them with oil and water. With oil they don't cut as well (I'm using light machine oil so perhaps something thinner would be a good idea) but with water they seem to load up and leave a bit of steel residue behind.

Thanks,

Ade
 
bexupnorth":3kh98kqq said:
Hi All,

Can anyone help me work out if the stones I've recently bought off eBay are oil or water stones? They were bargains and streets better than the previous cheapie double sided thing I got from B&Q (though that seems to work OK for quickly getting a damaged edge back).

I've used them with oil and water. With oil they don't cut as well (I'm using light machine oil so perhaps something thinner would be a good idea) but with water they seem to load up and leave a bit of steel residue behind.

Thanks,

Ade

if they were waterstones, and you've used oil, you've probably buggered them up to some extent.

Do you have a link to the completed eBay sale?

BugBear
 
bexupnorth":3l3lzz0l said:
Hi All,

Can anyone help me work out if the stones I've recently bought off eBay are oil or water stones? They were bargains and streets better than the previous cheapie double sided thing I got from B&Q (though that seems to work OK for quickly getting a damaged edge back).

I've used them with oil and water. With oil they don't cut as well (I'm using light machine oil so perhaps something thinner would be a good idea) but with water they seem to load up and leave a bit of steel residue behind.

Thanks,

Ade

post pics of all sides and note any markings for us...
 
bugbear":2fk6agnr said:
bexupnorth":2fk6agnr said:
Hi All,

Can anyone help me work out if the stones I've recently bought off eBay are oil or water stones? They were bargains and streets better than the previous cheapie double sided thing I got from B&Q (though that seems to work OK for quickly getting a damaged edge back).

I've used them with oil and water. With oil they don't cut as well (I'm using light machine oil so perhaps something thinner would be a good idea) but with water they seem to load up and leave a bit of steel residue behind.

Thanks,

Ade

if they were waterstones, and you've used oil, you've probably buggered them up to some extent.

Do you have a link to the completed eBay sale?

BugBear

If you've used oil on water stones then simply dump them in an acetone bath. They'll be fine.

Ya lets see the ebay number.
 
Cheers guys, will look for any distinguishing marks and post pics.

eBay listings were ages ago and don't appear to be active anymore.

Ade.
 
JimB":1hj1l43x said:
The old recipe for oilstones was a 50/50 mixture of kerosine (paraffin) and neatsfoot oil.
+1 (If you can still buy neatsfoot?)

I've used 3 in 1 with kerosene in the past. (75% oil - 25% kerosene.)


:)
 
Benchwayze":35gwon07 said:
JimB":35gwon07 said:
The old recipe for oilstones was a 50/50 mixture of kerosine (paraffin) and neatsfoot oil.
+1 (If you can still buy neatsfoot?)

:)
Still one of the best leather treatments, find it in agricultural merchants or horsey type places.
 
Try shoe shops and outdoor outfitters for neatsfoot oil.

As far as I'm aware soldiers still soak new work boots in it to shortcut the pain of breaking them in (at least it was common practice 20 years ago).
 
matthewwh":2wm52oyp said:
Try shoe shops and outdoor outfitters for neatsfoot oil.

As far as I'm aware soldiers still soak new work boots in it to shortcut the pain of breaking them in (at least it was common practice 20 years ago).

Ah but Matthew, it isn't the boots that get broken in, it's your feet! :lol:
Happy New year!
 
Didn't get any pics (yet) but I did have a look for marks, the coarser one has none whatsoever so I'll get those pics. the other very clearly states "Oilstone" down the side so I guess a little RTFM would have saved us all some time, sorry. Will clean them both then use the thinner oil or perhaps see about some neatsfoot.

The other "Doh!" moment this weekend was to be absolutely, totally sure that when you're hoovering the workshop out there aren't any hot cinders on the workshop floor. Fortunately my Wickes workshop hoover is made of very smelly plastic and smokes quite a lot so it was very easy to spot my oversight!

Happy New Year!

Ade.
 
bexupnorth":1fi9rnzb said:
..the other very clearly states "Oilstone"

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

:D

BugBear
 
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