Wet Stone vs. Oil Stone

[Paul Alciatore]

I have been watching some YouTube videos on sharpening and the types and use of various types of stones. And it brought a question that has been sitting in the back of my mind to the fore.

The videos and other sources talk about using wet stones and about using oil stones. But most places that list sharpening stones for sale simply describe what the stones are made of and what grit they are and perhaps other attributes. But they do not seem to distinguish between water and oil stones.

So I have to ask, just what makes one stone an oil stone and another a wet (water) stone? Are they the same stones with just different liquids being applied by the user? Or what?

[eKretz]

Generally an oil stone is one that doesn't shed much of any grit particles during use. So something like a Wa****a or an Arkansas stone. India stones are frequently used with oil also. For these kinds of hones it is good to try to keep the cutting particles sharp as long as possible, and oil helps to do that. Since they don't shed much grit, any swarf generated tends to clog the stone also - which oil also helps with - it tends to float the swarf away.

Those hones made to use with water are generally pretty friable and absorbent, and may use a binder that would break down or soften excessively with oil use. They generally release dull grit particles readily so it isn't as important for the particles to stay sharp as long.

You generally either need to look at manufacturers' recommendations or just know what to use with specific hones and stones. Some need to be used with one or the other medium, some can be used with either/or.

[epicfail48]

Part of the confusion could actually be spelling, "whetstone" sounds an awful lot like wet stone. The word whet just means "to sharpen", so whetstone is just a sharpening stone in general, not really a specific type

There are a certain kinds of sharpening stone that get referred to as waterstones, those are a bit special. They have to be used soaked with water, the abrasive of the stone is incredibly friable and the water is needed to wash away the abraded material.

If you have a stone like an arkansas stone, it actually doesnt really matter what you use as a lubricant. Oil and water can both be used to carry off the swarf, but you cant switch from one to the other. Oil gets recommended because it lubricates better and doesnt cause rust or mildewing issues.

Frankly though, i wouldnt bother with stones nowadays. Diamond plates are where its at

[DennisCA]

I guess most stones can probably be used with both water and oil. I like to use because I have no water in my shop and it's less of a mess and less rust problems.

[macona]

Yep, I had a stone swell up and fall apart when exposed to oil. I never expected that.I feel like it was a green stone, but its probably been a decade.

[Corbettprime]

I've accumulated quite an assortment of stones over the years. The only ones I don't have are the Japanese water stones. I do prefer diamond flats over those. Since most of my usage is for trigger work, I actually prefer ceramic stones for that, then hard Arkansas stones to finish. One of the odder stones I have is a razor honing stone, which appears to be red rouge highly compressed into a 2" x 4" x 1 /2" block. It will really finish off a knives edge.

[Mcgyver]

If you mean waterstone vs oilstone, in my experience the waterstones cut faster and wear more quickly. Seems like the water stones go to a higher grit, e.g. I've got waterstones to 8000 that put a mirror finish on. Perhaps at such a fine grit you need the faster cutting or you would be there for days. In my shop anyway, those are more woodworking tools and only come out for planes and chisels

[Doozer]

I don't think the stone knows the difference whether it is wet with water or wet with oil.
In nature they definitely see both.

-Doozer

[Mcgyver]

I don't think the stone knows the difference whether it is wet with water or wet with oil.
In nature they definitely see both.

I don't know what about the particular stone makes it prefer water or oil, or at least its manufacturer to recommend one or the other, but only a small subset of stones are natural. Most are ceramics made in a carbon arc furnaces, bashed up, screened for size and then glued together with some man made chemical

[Ed ke6bnl]

Part of the confusion could actually be spelling, "whetstone" sounds an awful lot like wet stone. The word whet just means "to sharpen", so whetstone is just a sharpening stone in general, not really a specific type

There are a certain kinds of sharpening stone that get referred to as waterstones, those are a bit special. They have to be used soaked with water, the abrasive of the stone is incredibly friable and the water is needed to wash away the abraded material.

If you have a stone like an arkansas stone, it actually doesnt really matter what you use as a lubricant. Oil and water can both be used to carry off the swarf, but you cant switch from one to the other. Oil gets recommended because it lubricates better and doesnt cause rust or mildewing issues.

Frankly though, i wouldnt bother with stones nowadays. Diamond plates are where its at

sorry to ask this BUT do you use the diamond stones wet or dry if wet what is used? Home I am not confusing the issue

[Doozer]

I don't know what about the particular stone makes it prefer water or oil, or at least its manufacturer to recommend one or the other, but only a small subset of stones are natural. Most are ceramics made in a carbon arc furnaces, bashed up, screened for size and then glued together with some man made chemical

Pretty sure they are vitrified.

-D

[Moxiedad2001]

Oil or water, the purpose is to float away metal particles so they don't become embedded in the stone. I often just use saliva, and it works well. Otherwise, it's Kroil rather than oil in my shop. I don't know if it is better but it seems that way to me, so it's my habit. The manufacturer's instructions for my ceramic stones call for water, and I suspect that's because the stones are extremely porous. Oil would probably clog them eventually with a gummy residue. Arkansas stones and their relatives are much less absorbent by comparison. They are all "whet" stones, though🙂.

[Georgineer]

sorry to ask this BUT do you use the diamond stones wet or dry if wet what is used? Home I am not confusing the issue

I looked up this very thing the other day, and concluded that the general view is that diamond stones are better used with water. My actual concern was that on first use, my diamond stones gave up a lot of diamond dust, but nobody seemed to cover that issue.

George B.

[Mcgyver]

Pretty sure they are vitrified.

-D

"glue" was used loosely to mean a binding agent....point being its a different material that bonds the abrasive particles together, i.e in most cases the stone you buy is not a natural occurring hunk of rock

[Doozer]

There is no bonding agent. That is what vitrified means. The bond comes from the minerals themselves, partially melting and sticking together when heated.

-D