Akansas Stones

[Malcolm]

I recently bought an Arkansas stone for knife sharpening. With this stone, I am getting fantasticly sharp knives but find the stone gets clogged easily. Can anyone guide me as to what lubricant to use during sharpening and how to best clean the stone. Many thanks,

Malcolm

[NoahL]

I recently bought an Arkansas stone for knife sharpening. With this stone, I am getting fantasticly sharp knives but find the stone gets clogged easily. Can anyone guide me as to what lubricant to use during sharpening and how to best clean the stone. Many thanks,

Malcolm

I just use plain mineral oil like you can get at the pharmacy, and for cleaning it I just rinse them quickly with water and dry with a paper towel.

[csoty]

I use a liquid detergent.

[Kevin]

WD-40, kerosene, sewing machine oil, automatic trans fluid (hate the smell), I think most any light petroleum product.

Kevin

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

You can use anything from spit to oil, as long as it keeps the metal removed in suspension. At work I clean my stones in solvent, and scrub them with a brush.

In machine shops we keep the stones soaked in oil, and clean as needed. My friend uses lamp oil for soaking his, I use cutting oil out of the machines when I am stoning a large job.

Edited August 3, 2010 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[DaveT]

You can buy "honing oil" or "cutting oil" that is made for stones, and works really well. I have also used plain vegetable oil and that works very well. While you're sharpening wipe all the oil off with a paper towel/rag when it gets too black. Then add some more drops of oil and keep sharpening. When you're all done you can clean the stone with soap and water, let it air dry, and it will stay clean for years.

As a side note, if your stone starts to get a "dip" in it, you can flatten it by using black wet/dry sandpaper (Very coarse grits) laid on a piece of thick glass (Like you skive on). The glass acts as a surface plate and will flatten the stone out. It does take a lot of work though.

Dave T.

[jarrett]

In a recent issue of Blade magazine, Mr. Wayne Goddard wrote about using Simple Green. States it works great and that is what he uses now. When it comes to knives and sharpening them, his recommendations carry much weight with those of us into bladesmithing. The knife making is what led me to the leather work, which I am getting more and more enamored with.

Worth looking into.

[Malcolm]

I just use plain mineral oil like you can get at the pharmacy, and for cleaning it I just rinse them quickly with water and dry with a paper towel.

Thank you, I'll give it a try.

I use a liquid detergent.