Does a Sharpening Stone Have to Absorb Water when Using It to Sharpen?

K

knivesngear

Joined
Nov 23, 2010
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Hey guys I have a silicon carbide sharpening stone that I use with water and the water beads up on top of it. I was wondering if the water should disappear and be absorbed by the stone. I don't want to ruin the stone by clogging it. thanks guys.


-kng
 
I've heard that some stones are 'pre-oiled' from the factory. Such stones are generally made to be used as oilstones. Sounds like yours might be such a stone. Preferences are changing, among sharpening experts, about using oil on stones. The down side is, once the stone is oiled, it's very difficult to make it totally clean again. Over time, oilstones will also grab & hold onto much of the metal removed from knives, and will eventually 'clog' up, filling the pores of the stone. Some people actually 'boil' the stone in hot water and/or soap/detergent, to force as much oil out of the stone as possible.

You can still use your stone with water if you like. Many like to add some dish soap (just a little bit) to it too, which will break the surface tension and allow the moisture to more evenly coat the stone. It's also easier to clean up the stone afterwards. This is a popular method with diamond hones, too.

True waterstones are designed and intended to be used with water. They do absorb a lot of it, and many people actually store them in water, to keep them saturated.
 
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boil the living stuff out of the stone to clean it. then use water with a few drops of dish soap in the water to sharpen your knives. keep the stone soaking wet and cloging wont be an issue. i agree with obessed that oil is very hard to remove from from the stones, but a boil with water and dawn dish soap seems to work the best for me. also wash the stone in clear hot water after sharpening will help to clean it. oil's viscosity adheres to objects and h2o is the greatest flushing agent in nature. never,ever use oil when sharpening unless you want to buy replacement stones every few years.
 
oil clogged stones dont cut as well as clean stones. why dont you look into some paper wheels?
 
there is a whole link in this forum devoted to them. i would fail if i tried to explain it quickly for you. but its got pages upon pages of info. i have tried as many systems as "obsessed "has and maybe more and have settled on the wheels. and btw from all of my reading on this site , obsessed has some fine info and he will not steer you wrong.
 
If your oilstone is glazing shoot it with some WD-40 from an aerosol can. That will get into the pores and flush out the particles, we do this all the time in my machine shop. Water doesnt give the best lubrication on an a preoiled stone and will speed the glazing.

I have used all kinds of oils on stones: new motor oil, used motor oil, hydraulic oil, transmission fluid, and even kerosene. Diesel fuel would also work due to the low refinement and oily consistency. Long story short, I would stick to oil on an oil stone and water on a water stone.
 
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