Recommendation? Cleaning/restoring EDM polishing stones

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Skinner79

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Feb 5, 2019
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Since discovering them a while back, I've fallen in love with EDM polishing stones. IMO they save time and sandpaper! I usually use them with WD40. When they get real dirty/clogged up I spray them off with Simple Green and scrub them with a small wire brush. It works OK, and seems to restore cutting somewhat. But I was just wondering if anyone knew a better way to clean and restore their stones? Or is there a better lubricant than WD40 that would prevent from clogging up as quickly and keep them cutting effectively?
 
Skinner79 said:
Since discovering them a while back, I've fallen in love with EDM polishing stones. IMO they save time and sandpaper! I usually use them with WD40. When they get real dirty/clogged up I spray them off with Simple Green and scrub them with a small wire brush. It works OK, and seems to restore cutting somewhat. But I was just wondering if anyone knew a better way to clean and restore their stones? Or is there a better lubricant than WD40 that would prevent from clogging up as quickly and keep them cutting effectively?
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I use some dawn degreasing soap and water and lap them clean on a diamond plate... Gets them perfect
 
WD 40 is the last thing you want to put on sharpening stones or guns it has a tendency to gum things up, it maybe good for lubricating things and preventing rust.
 
Actually, WD-40 isn't a good lubricant either. It is a good moisture protectant and does well as a penetrating solvent for things stuck but, is very low on the chart as a lubricant.

I like simple green and hot water for cleaning things up. Dawn is also good.

A diamond lapping plate will flatten out an EDM stone or waterstone. Make sure you scrub the stone clean very well after lapping with plenty of running water and a stiff bristle brush. You don't want to leave a diamond grain stuck on the surface of your stones.

I never tried it but have read that some folks pressure-wash their stones to get them completely clean. I guess they use some sort of wooden clamp to hold the stones.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. I don't have a pressure washer, but the car wash might work! (With my luck I'd probably end up with a stone flying against the windshield of the next car in line, haha.)

I'm not using the EDM stones for sharpening. I'm using them in place of wet/dry sandpaper for initial clean up of bevels and plunge lines, and initial finish. Don't actually remember why I started using WD40 with the stones, because come to think of it, I usually use Windex or just soapy water with sandpaper.

I know they sell special "stoning oil" at places that sell EDM stones, but I'm a cheapskate and never tried it. So my next question is what "wetting agent" do most folks use with their EDM stones?
 
I like the stoning oil from Gesswein. They sell a 1 pint size for not very much ($17.80) so you don't have to spend a lot to try it out. I ended up buying the gallon. I put it in cheap laboratory squeeze bottles.

I've tried WD, Windex & Simple Green. Like the Gesswein by far. They also sell Rub and Rinse stone cleaner ($10.10). I've never tried it, but you might want to give it a shot. If you do, please let us know how it works.
 
This specific edm stone I use to stone my surface grinder chuck... But you can lap the ends of the stone the dame way

 
Stuller sells a cleaner called Magic cast Green that is very similar. It is a super cleaner and works well as a stoning and sanding lube/cleaner. It is a powder you mix with hot water.
The10lb. bucket. is the best way to order. that will make 160 gallons of cleaning solution. If you don't have a jewelry account, get a local jeweler to order it for you.
 
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For cleaning you might try Bar Keepers Friend, I use it to clean ceramic bench stones and it works very well.
 
Up to 3000grit, the EDM stones I use, both Hyprez and some unknown 1/4 inch wide things all wear down fast enough when used with water to not need cleaning or dressing. The finer grits in the small stones clean up / deglaze with 220-400grit paper.
 
WD 40 does not gum anything up-any more than any oil will. It's mineral oil in a carrier. I have used it on whetstones for years.
The "gumming" is a wive's tale.
 
I guess I am missing something. I use EDM stones all the time for blade polishing and they never clog, gum, or glaze. They just break down during use, exposing fresh abrasive, which is what you want. It doesn't seem to matter what sort of lubricant I use, the stone just breaks down and....well....works. These are the "N" stones from Congress, IIRC. I've used WD40 before as well as mineral oil.
 
Stuart Davenport Knives said:
I guess I am missing something. I use EDM stones all the time for blade polishing and they never clog, gum, or glaze. They just break down during use, exposing fresh abrasive, which is what you want. It doesn't seem to matter what sort of lubricant I use, the stone just breaks down and....well....works. These are the "N" stones from Congress, IIRC. I've used WD40 before as well as mineral oil.
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I use those ones too and I didn't comment earlier because I just use the hell out of them, rough and dry, and then grab another. Sometimes I'll break pieces off and use those. I get lots of use out of each one for about $5.
 
Well, to be honest, I may not be using the stones like others do, and I may not be using the right ones. I've only used the orange EDM stones. I have an assortment of grits from 120 to 600, some are made by Boride, ans some from Congress tools. But I mostly use them like a sanding block. In other words, I lay them flat againt the blade rather than using the end of the stone, if that makes sense. These orange stones are pretty hard, and really don't break down much, but they do eventually load up. I find that a good scrubbing restores the cutting action.

I'm a very "rookie" knifemaker, only doing it as a hobby, and I'm always open to suggestions! So thank you everyone for your feedback!

Stuart, I don't see "N" stones listed on the Congress Tools website. I'd like to try a softer stone, and they do show several labeled as soft. Suggestions?
 
Skinner79 said:
Well, to be honest, I may not be using the stones like others do, and I may not be using the right ones. I've only used the orange EDM stones. I have an assortment of grits from 120 to 600, some are made by Boride, ans some from Congress tools. But I mostly use them like a sanding block. In other words, I lay them flat againt the blade rather than using the end of the stone, if that makes sense. These orange stones are pretty hard, and really don't break down much, but they do eventually load up. I find that a good scrubbing restores the cutting action.

I'm a very "rookie" knifemaker, only doing it as a hobby, and I'm always open to suggestions! So thank you everyone for your feedback!

Stuart, I don't see "N" stones listed on the Congress Tools website. I'd like to try a softer stone, and they do show several labeled as soft. Suggestions?
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I use the stones from Gesswein, but would guess that they are very similar. Trollsky on his YouTube channel gives a good demonstration on how he uses them. It what I do and it works good for me.

Gesswein also offers softer stones (enough to boggle the mind) if you don't find any at Congress Tools.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
WD 40 does not gum anything up-any more than any oil will. It's mineral oil in a carrier. I have used it on whetstones for years.
The "gumming" is a wive's tale.
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It's 80% kerosene

Sprey some into a clean jar and put the lid on.
It solidifies into a black goo.

I like pure kerosene or oil, cheaper too.
 
I have a clear squirt bottle that I filled with WD 40 maybe 10 years ago. The carrier evaporated pretty rapidly, and all that is left is some light mineral oil. I'm sure I can find a picture if you want.
I have been using WD 40 for various things for over 15 years. I put it on my guitar strings. I wouldn't do that if it gummed up. I have used it as a steam/refrigeration engineer, a jeweler, a cutler, and a musician.
I have never seen it gum anything up.
 
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