Recommendation? De-Oiling Hands

[Eli Chaps]

Hello Sharpeners,

So, have you all found a good way of getting the oil off your hands while you're sharpening with oil stones? I tend to use a rag for a while and it might do okay when it is fresh but they load up rather quickly.

You guys find a spray or anything that works pretty well?

 

[David Martin]

I use a rag and don't mind the residual oil left on my hands. But at meal time and when the day is done, I use hand sanitizer. The alcohol cuts the mineral oil. DM

 

[Eli Chaps]

Hi David. I don't mind the actual oil on my hands, it's that I end up getting it on the knife I'm working on, while I'm working on it.

If it's a quick touch up then it's a non-issue, but if it's something I'm spending some time on, it seems like before you know it, everything around me has a light sheen.

 

[jux t]

I don't really get oily hands from sharpening. I open the nozzle of the oil can with the tip of the knife, zig-zag oil onto the stone, then sharpen.

Oil builds up on the blade, and when it's too much or I want to check the edge, I wipe it off with a rag. The rag lasts me multiple sharpenings without needing to be washed or replaced.

My stone sits in a wooden box that I hold onto, so my fingers don't even touch the stone. When it's all over with, I'll wash my hands if necessary. But it's usually not a big messy ordeal. Maybe you can find a way to not get oil all over the place, or use less oil.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

When I do wipe my hands during sharpening, I always have 2 or 3 yellow microfiber towels at hand while doing so. They're large enough and absorbent enough to mop everything up, so my grip doesn't get too slippery while working. These are the microfiber towels you'd see in bulk packaging at places like Costco or Walmart (maybe Sam's Club), marketed for auto detailing/buffing/waxing, etc. They work well and last a long time; I'm still working through a package I bought probably 20 years ago, maybe longer. They'll come out of the laundry still looking very dirty from all the swarf they've collected, but that's also a testament to how well they pick that stuff up, when wiping down the stones. As dirty as they look after laundering, they still do the job.

I've mentioned here before, my hands get extremely dry & cracked in my locale (desert southwest of USA), especially in the winter. When my hands get all oily during my sharpening sessions, I EMBRACE the relief. When not actually sharpening knives with my oilstones, I rely heavily on mineral oil-based hand lotion to keep them from getting too dry. So, I'm gettin' oiled one way or another, and I welcome it. I realized a long time ago, even with the mineral oil-based hand lotion, simple washing of the hands with most any decent soap & warm water will quickly wash away the traces of it from my hands. Same with the mineral oil I use for sharpening. So, when it's time to clean up, it's very easy. Liquid dish detergent is even more effective, in warm water.

When my knives get very oily during a sharpening session, I'll take that as an opportunity (sometimes) to give them a bath in dish soap & warm water, when I'm finished. Rinse in HOT water, so the residual moisture evaporates off easily, and re-lube as needed.

 

[Eli Chaps]

Thanks for the inputs all.

 

[annr]

For all the hours and hours of sharpening with oilstones, I’ve never experienced this problem. At the most I get grimy fingertips and my blade gets oily.

When I’m done I wash my hands with soap and water—they may still looks grimy, but the oil is gone. I wipe the knife off, and that’s it. Also, I may wipe the stone off before reapplying mid-session.

I’m trying to imagine how you are able to get so much oil all over the place unless you are starting with an excessive amount, keep adding it, and never wipe up as you go.

Do you know how the oil is transferring to your hands? And which parts of your hands. If you can figure this out, maybe you can prevent it.

 

[Eli Chaps]

For all the hours and hours of sharpening with oilstones, I’ve never experienced this problem. At the most I get grimy fingertips and my blade gets oily.

When I’m done I wash my hands with soap and water—they may still looks grimy, but the oil is gone. I wipe the knife off, and that’s it. Also, I may wipe the stone off before reapplying mid-session.

I’m trying to imagine how you are able to get so much oil all over the place unless you are starting with an excessive amount, keep adding it, and never wipe up as you go.

Do you know how the oil is transferring to your hands? And which parts of your hands. If you can figure this out, maybe you can prevent it.

It's mostly something that happens with small knives. I'm a tactile person I reckon. I rub the oil into the stone, feel the blade edge as I go, that sort of thing. Combined with a rag that's already a little oily and small blade that gets my fingers close to the stone and there ya have it. I use Arkansas stones a lot so they don't soak up the oil as readily as say SiC or AlO stones.

It's not a big issue just curious if anyone had some ideas. I used to watch Dean O on YouTube a lot and he always had a little spray bottle that he used from time to time while sharpening to get the oil off his hands but he never said what was in the bottle and he's long quite posting.

 

[annr]

It's mostly something that happens with small knives. I'm a tactile person I reckon. I rub the oil into the stone, feel the blade edge as I go, that sort of thing. Combined with a rag that's already a little oily and small blade that gets my fingers close to the stone and there ya have it. I use Arkansas stones a lot so they don't soak up the oil as readily as say SiC or AlO stones.

It's not a big issue just curious if anyone had some ideas. I used to watch Dean O on YouTube a lot and he always had a little spray bottle that he used from time to time while sharpening to get the oil off his hands but he never said what was in the bottle and he's long quite posting.

That makes sense. I have to pay more attention to this next time, but I believe I spread the oil with my blade, and I don’t touch the edge while I’m sharpening —I usually visually inspect or test on nail. All of which reduce hand contact with oil.

I’m sure the size and type of stone, blade and person’s hand figure into it as well.

So it’s mainly your fingertips? Probably not much you can do if that’s your style. Please post if you find out what’s in that spray bottle.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I also sharpen with my fingertips close to the stone or even lightly grazing the stone, for most any knife. I get a better sense of flush contact with the bevels if my fingertips are placed immediately behind the edge portion being worked, and the pads of the fingertips are very lightly grazing the stone ahead of the edge. If the angle changes much, I feel it right away. This also works great for regulating pressure, as my fingerpads will immediately feel if it's getting too heavy. So, I could see how some of us may get our fingers more oily than others do. I also switch everything around with my hands when doing the other side of the bevel, so the cutting edge is always towards me. This means that both of my hands get equally messy in doing so, and oil also gets transferred to the handle as well, every time I switch sides. BUT, that again is why I keep those microfiber towels at hand, so I can quickly blot my hands and wipe down the handle when I make the switch.

More recently, I've also been controlling the angle by placing a fingertip on the spine and letting that 'graze' the stone, keeping the spine at a given height while I work. Obviously, since my finger is still on the stone, I'm still picking up some of that oil as I go.

 

[annr]

I use a similar technique, and as I mentioned the fingertips may make contact with the stone and get grimy.

I've just never wound up thinking I was inundated with an abundance of oil. I don't transfer the fine coating of oil from my fingertips onto the handle, even though I might swap hands, since I hold the handle with my palm. The oil stays mainly on the blade and the stone. I'm more concerned about keeping those clean as I go.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I even keep some of my more porous stones immersed in a pan of the USP-grade laxative mineral oil. When I'm using those stones, my hands are even more oily, as I occasionally re-oil the stone by dipping a couple fingers in the pan and dabbing it onto the stone.

 

[Eli Chaps]

I also sharpen with my fingertips close to the stone or even lightly grazing the stone, for most any knife. I get a better sense of flush contact with the bevels if my fingertips are placed immediately behind the edge portion being worked, and the pads of the fingertips are very lightly grazing the stone ahead of the edge. If the angle changes much, I feel it right away. This also works great for regulating pressure, as my fingerpads will immediately feel if it's getting too heavy. So, I could see how some of us may get our fingers more oily than others do. I also switch everything around with my hands when doing the other side of the bevel, so the cutting edge is always towards me. This means that both of my hands get equally messy in doing so, and oil also gets transferred to the handle as well, every time I switch sides. BUT, that again is why I keep those microfiber towels at hand, so I can quickly blot my hands and wipe down the handle when I make the switch.

More recently, I've also been controlling the angle by placing a fingertip on the spine and letting that 'graze' the stone, keeping the spine at a given height while I work. Obviously, since my finger is still on the stone, I'm still picking up some of that oil as I go.

Yep, that sounds a whole like my approach too.

 

[Wowbagger]

Hello Sharpeners,

So, have you all found a good way of getting the oil off your hands while you're sharpening with oil stones? I tend to use a rag for a while and it might do okay when it is fresh but they load up rather quickly.

You guys find a spray or anything that works pretty well?

Fly to Colorado in the Winter.
Stand around the airport while you sharpen your knife.
Any lotion, oil, any moisture of any kind will be sucked from your body as if by magic.

I say enjoy the oiled up experience while you can

 

[Wowbagger]

These are the microfiber towels

David,
You were oh so right about these towels not leaving garbage (lint, hairs, paper fibers) on the oil stone ! ! !
I first oiled up my new oil stone and left it to absorb in for a while. Then . . . not having bought the towels you mentioned I just wiped the stone with a paper towel I had near by.
Tons of junk was left on the stone. Then I remembered I had purchased baby size microfiber wash cloths and didn't like them for the body wash purpose I bought them for. I found I preferred all cotton.

I grabbed one of the synthetic microfiber baby wash cloths and BINGO . . . perfectly clean oil stone with nothing I could see left on the stone and this cloth had been washed many times with other types of cloth that could have left junk on this cloth.

These microfiber cloths are just the thing ! ! !
I finally found an opportunity to thank you.

PS: I just looked up the cloths, thinking "why would I not buy cotton wash cloths".
Turns out they ARE cotton, just microfiber. I guess I like other than microfiber cloth for body washing and cotton microfiber for my oil stones. Who knew ?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

David,
You were oh so right about these towels not leaving garbage (lint, hairs, paper fibers) on the oil stone ! ! !
I first oiled up my new oil stone and left it to absorb in for a while. Then . . . not having bought the towels you mentioned I just wiped the stone with a paper towel I had near by.
Tons of junk was left on the stone. Then I remembered I had purchased baby size microfiber wash cloths and didn't like them for the body wash purpose I bought them for. I found I preferred all cotton.

I grabbed one of the synthetic microfiber baby wash cloths and BINGO . . . perfectly clean oil stone with nothing I could see left on the stone and this cloth had been washed many times with other types of cloth that could have left junk on this cloth.

These microfiber cloths are just the thing ! ! !
I finally found an opportunity to thank you.

PS: I just looked up the cloths, thinking "why would I not buy cotton wash cloths".
Turns out they ARE cotton, just microfiber. I guess I like other than microfiber cloth for body washing and cotton microfiber for my oil stones. Who knew ?

I think all true 'microfiber' towels or cloths are made synthetically (using polyesters & such). I don't know if there are any cotton ones out there, although apparently some of the synthetic ones are finished to a 'brushed cotton' texture, to emulate the feel of cotton (for bedsheets, clothing, etc). But at any rate, you should find the synthetic ones as effective in picking up stuff off the stone, without leaving much of itself behind.

 

[Wowbagger]

I think all true 'microfiber' towels or cloths are made synthetically (using polyesters & such).

Yes these cling to my rough hands unlike cotton but the description from the vendor says cotton.
No matter . . . Guys / Gals get the microfiber cloths David recommends

 

[annr]

Yes these cling to my rough hands unlike cotton but the description from the vendor says cotton.
No matter . . . Guys / Gals get the microfiber cloths David recommends

Do you have a link to the cotton ones? I've only seen synthetics. (I'm of 2 minds on synthetics, but that's a different discussion.)

 

[annr]

I even keep some of my more porous stones immersed in a pan of the USP-grade laxative mineral oil. When I'm using those stones, my hands are even more oily, as I occasionally re-oil the stone by dipping a couple fingers in the pan and dabbing it onto the stone.

This is another element, context: I have to travel with my gear and use available table, counter or desktop space. This means no mucking about with oil—or extra oil—just not practical. I also have to handle other people's (often expensive) equipment without the benefit of fully washing up until I'm done.


Or do you regularly use these stones outside the home? Just curious.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

This is another element, context: I have to travel with my gear and use available table, counter or desktop space. This means no mucking about with oil—or extra oil—just not practical. I also have to handle other people's (often expensive) equipment without the benefit of fully washing up until I'm done.


Or do you regularly use these stones outside the home? Just curious.

I don't use those away from home. In the event I were to take a stone to someone's house and sharpen their knives in the kitchen, I'd likely just take my India C/F, which isn't so porous and can use a little bit of oil applied at time of use. I'd probably take my can of Norton oil for that, and a couple or three of the microfiber towels. I also have a silicone dish-drainer mat (12" x 16") that comes in handy for such uses. I put the mat down, then lay one of the microfiber towels on top of that, and the stone atop the towel. That way, there's very little risk getting any of the oil on countertops or whatever. Got the idea for the dish-drainer mat in watching some members' videos here on the site, as some use them (usually) with waterstones. Don't know who got the idea first, for the draining mat, but it's a great idea.