Cleaning a dirty grimey sharpening stone
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2024
- This is how I clean a sharpening stone. Some times you will find one at a sale that is just a grimey mess. They are pretty easy to clean. Once you get it clean sometimes they are really pretty. Different colors and such.
Thank you.
I was wondering how to clean off an Arkansas stone I recently bought. It's in super great shape, mainly for smaller knives. It had a lot of metal residue from the last owner, but your tip helped.
You're right about the stones having different colors, mine is a light brown with small dark speckles.
Found out it's a vintage Norton hard Arkansas stone, primarily for penknives.
Try hitting them with a diamond coated plate, it really sharpens the top surface. Even very hard Arkansas stones actually get dull on top and have to be revived just like a grinding wheel.
Try sharpening the knife towards you with your hands supporting the spine of the blade, it helps with angle control and works better for me.
"If only if it wasn't glued-" *stone pops out* well that was great timing!
Using the WD-40 was a great tip, my stones had built up a layer of metal powder and grime that would not come off with soap, water and brush but it came off super easy with a bit of WD-40 on a Chux, like new now thanks very much for the tip
If you use WD40 as much as I do, get 1 gallon cans and refill a spray bottle. Waaay cheaper.
Good idea man!
Toss'em in a bucket with a quart of kerosene and soak for a bit really helps for the old grimy ones. ;-)
Colin
CRC Brakleen is also excellent. You literally see the metal particles wash off. Even a power washer will work just using tap water - probably the most cost effective method.
Nice looking stone!
Thanks for the tip on how to clean them up.
Take care
Great video man I never thought about cleaning a stone with WD-40 I always use dawn dish washing liquid or comet. It makes sense though...
I use a nail brush for finer stones, basically a toothbrush head that's half the size of a hairbrush. Not sure how much something rougher would damage the stone, if at all, but I figure it warrants mentioning
Personally I like my stone back to brand new so I hit it with dish liquid and use a scotch -brite pad (green) to remove the harder to get stuff. Then I sit it on a paper towel and let it dry out until I use it again. I have 5 stones the triangle type with 3 stones glued on, the normal front and back type, and a conical shaped one. All of them are their original shape, size, color and sharpen just as good as day 1.
I use water and not oil. Oil stays on the stone better but it is harder to clean. I do not really get why use oil on something we all use to cal a "wet rock" back in the day. It made more sense to me to use water as since the stone drinks it into the pores and reduces clogging a lot just like it does on sandpaper. Wet sanding is not a new concept and should be the exact same concept as using a wet rock to sharpen a knife. I have never found the need for oil. These stones can be used with oil and your not doing it wrong it is just preference.
But I will say I find from cleaning the stone with dish liquid and using it immediately the residual soap is a better lubricant than anything else I have come across. The way I sharpen my knives cuts receipt paper in a single swipe with no sawing motion, and shaves hair 2 test my knives have to pass before I am satisfied.
you use a wet fluid in sharpening not as a lubricant but to carry away what you grind off the thing you are sharpening.. lubrication is removing the friction of two surfaces and doing that better would make the sharpening slower or not happen at all as the lubricant would be acting as a barrier the edge floats over separating the two surfaces and not letting the harder material( sharpening stone) grind away the softer material ( blade ).
And its whet stone as in to remove or abrase
Thank-you Buck, new Suber here. I am a beginner, and what I'm suggesting is opinion not fact. I think the wd40 with a wire toothbrush lightly dress the stone is better than steel wool. I think the steel wool leaves slivers, gets into stone like knife debris (and fingers). I'm using a 15 degree angle on jack knives, kitchen knives. Don't use diesel if you're going to sharpen inside your house, very smelly. Wd40 is best, thin oil not too smelly. I'm not a pro.... Those chips and crack, been dropped on the floor. Be careful with stones folks. Good stones are pricey $$.
Much better seeing you do it than the wordy descriptions I've seen. Put on oil... how much? Now I know how much. How dirty should the paper towels be if I'm doing it right? Now I know. My problem is that I have a porous stone, I think carborundum, and the oil just soaks in and it's gone. Spray in more, soaks in, gone within seconds. I'll figure it out.
Stone absorbing the oil, I think eventually they get saturated and no longer sponge it up. The oil stays on top.
Thanks for the lesson. I was going to clean an old dirty fish knife of my Grandpas and saw this video and figured I would clean his sharpening stone while I was at it. I didn't even know that I was supposed to clean sharpening stones before this, but it makes sense because it is really grimy, and I have half of the things I need, just need to get some steel wool. Also I didn't know that I should use WD-40, although I have an equivalent that I can use. So thank you so much, and my you have a Merry Christmas, and Happy holidays. Oh and also his stone looks just like the one you were cleaning and is in a wood box like that as well.
Glad to help. It is nice you have some of your grandpas things and want to take care of them. I have a lot of my grandpas tools and treasure them.
That is awesome, and thanks for the reply. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Try not to use steel wool , see post above 're embedding more metal fragments.
not sure if you are interested or not,but I use a gallon jug of water mixed with 3 to 4 cups of simple green,I turn it once a day for a week or two to get a good idea of what type of stone it is etc.cheers.
Might try that next time
Buck, good cleaning tip.
Arkansas Stones are made in my area from chert rock that is one of the native rocks of the 'Ouachita Mountains' range (Ouachita is prounced Wash-a-taw). I have a 48 acre mining operation that has some large chert rock formations, but I've never checked it for the quality required for 'Arkansas Stones' as I'm crushing/screening the materials for road aggregate. I guess I need to check this deposit to see if I have the good quality chert required. If it checks out, I'll cut a rock and and send you one for your shop (and maybe a few others in the UA-cam machinist community--all free of charge). It'll take 2-4 months before I can make the test. The formations' colors are light red, light rust, pink/rose, light yellow, light grey/blue, faint blue, white and various other colors with many of the colors within 1/4"-2" of each other. Some rocks have several vugs and veins/seams, that might void it's quality, which might be what you noticed in your rock's surface. However you have a nice sharping rock that should last many years. I'll update you in a few weeks.
Thanks for the video....13
Hey, any update on that? Did you identify your stones?
Honestly, I'd just cut one and give it a try. Sometimes random no-name stones that may not even fit the criteria of "Arkansas stones" can be quite good. There aren't a lot of good fast cutting natural stones out there since Norton stopped mining Washitas, so, you never know.
It's not looking good in the area I'm working in now, too many fractures. However I have another location to investigate and I think the stone will be of better quality. I'll continue my search.
Did you ever figure it out? I've heard of pinkish colored Arkansas stones before so you may have something. That would be awesome if you did, and if you do I'd buy one or 2 from you. Thanks, and good luck!
Did you ever find out if your stone can be used for sharpening? I'd be interested in getting a block.
I just tried this on a man made silicone carbide (carborundum) stone and it did clean some of the grime off. But left shiny specs of wire wool embedded into the stone. I did use plenty of wd40....
Not very happy
Clean it again with the wd40 and a toothbrush style wire brush. Lightly scrub it down, "dab" wipe it off to lift the debris or blast it with an air compressor and air hose.
WD40. I heard that it stands for Water Displacement & it took the inventor 40 times to create the formula. I'll give it a go on my stone. Thanks.
That's all i ever use .
I use the pressure washer at a distance. With the cyclone adapter.
Wonder if he ever found out what kind of stone that was. An old wood worker gave me one that looks just like that in a box just like that, even has some gouges in it. Box says Washita. And confusingly also says carborundum
That will be a item I need to buy soon. Now I know how to clean it, thanks.
I have a couple of old stones that are severely worn and cupped. Would love to see a video of how to flatten such a stone.
+resiggy13 You can start by rubbing it on a flat cement surface, and then finish it up on a ceramic tile with water and stone polishing powder.
"Hey, it came out." 🤣
You should try a Monster energy drink, It works way better.
I didn't know you could do that with a stone but that was cool the wd40 lossend up the glue gave you a better side
Brotha, you have some of the same techniques I do....awesome video. I used steel wool and baking soda to clean my dad's old grimy box. Now I just got to re-flatten the stone....it's a nice one.
You use steel wool, baking soda, and vinegar on your stone?
I how did you clean moms old grimy box?
just a tip. don't use that steel wool. you are just embedding more STEEL back into the stone.
frddyfingers what do you use then?
Daniel Nguyen Sandpaper or glass plate and loose grit.
frddyfingers I have seen some one do this with a file
Bet they never used that file again. Doing it with a file will wear out the teeth of a file in no time, just the nature of grinding.
I have an old nice stone I acquired. I left it in the sun and oil started pushing out of it and then solidified . should I use this method. Has a side like glass almost and a very smooth side.
I got this exact stone from my grandad!
dark brown eh? What is usually that color? hard arkansas? I have a soft arkansas that has some gold/brown in it.
Dan's claims that the little inclusions in their stones do not affect sharpening, so it was interesting to hear you talk about the stone you have with the rough part in it!
lot of work there. Just soak in detergent?
Should work.
Hi, thanks for that, I am told that adding the oil is not recommended, the reason being that oil s a lubricant and you are trying to use friction to clean the stone. So, the lubricant effectively reduces the effectiveness of the wire.
Sounds like Wranglerstar. I don't agree. Funny I use cutting oil to drill and cut on my lathe and mil. It helps cut and cools on the machines and on a stone it floats the steel that you cut off the blade. A lot of sharpening stones come with oil to use.
Hi there, isn't cutting oil different? - I mean WD40 is a lubricant and I would have thought that fact would decrease the efficiency of the wire wool.
However, I'll give it a shot - I've just picked up three really dirty old stones from a neighbour. I'll try one as you suggest and one without oil and will see.
I was wondering if using two stones face to face would work: what do you reckon?
WD40 is the best lubricant for stones.
@@tobaccyjuice the old timers soaked over nite in kerosene which would loosen the bond of oil/stone/particles,sand with automotive type paper 100-200-300 grit
WD40 should pay you for this video, AND comment thread! LOL! My PePaw used it to clean almost everything. The smell reminds me of him even. Thanks for the info!
May be I should call them...lol
Is it possible to boil an Arkansas stone in water for a while to clean out all the dirt as most of it will be locked into the stone by oil?
Debris should just be on the stone surface, in the pores. However I believe the oil can find its way into the stone center, saturation after many times of use which is a good thing because then the oil will stay on top and no longer soak in.
What grade of steel wool?
Or you can use a pressure washer if you happen to be using it for something else
Nice stone you got wd40 seems to be everybodys go to oil for cuttin stones!
I have a couple that need cleaning and will try this. one thing I have done is soak a small de burring stone in Marvel Mystery oil for my speed skates. any advise on that. Thanks
I had an old grungy stone that had never been cleaned in over 30 years. So smooth from all the build up over the years it wasn't funny at all. I put some 91% alcohol on the stone and rubbed it with my fingers. Except for the gouges it looks like a new stone. after cleaning I laid it on a towel to dry.
I'll have to try that. Thanks
Good stuff Uncle Buck.
J
Just a great deal !
That's why water stones are better
bought 1 today at an auto jumble
i have it cleaned up good as new
its a double sided stone
but i cant determine the grit
but sides must be very close
ie a 300 and 400
all for €10 including the box
Buckrun, would brake cleaner work for that also?
Thanks for sharing you knowledge my friend.
If you will be using it for knives that will be cutting food, is WD-40 really the best option?
just do it and don't worry about the taste ..it's not terribly bad.
Wash it with dish soap afterwards.
You need to boil that stone it won’t sharpen your knife
I work in food service and have been using vegetable oil for a few years now when I sharpen. I recently learned that it's the wrong stuff to use. Will WD-40 work on stones clogged with old vegetable oil?
It should or Dawn dish washing soap.
I bought 2 Arkansas stones at a garage sale and I can't tell which one is hard and which one is soft. :(
+Chris Working After cleaning, you should be able to tell by rubbing them. The hard stone will be less porous and have a smoother feel.
Where do you find these old stones?
Auctions and garage sales.
Can I use liquid wrench penetrating oil in place of wd-40?
bad idea... super stinky product that will never come out of the stone, im sure... not meant for cleaning and really really hard to clean afterwards
Comments: Most of you clowns have no idea about stones, just stop, and do a little checking on your 'advice', (water stones are better, boil it, don't boil it, pressure cooker works better, etc) JUST STOP.
Steel wool with no gloves ? NO!
No matter where you go or what you do, there's always a safety plonker waiting to chastise you for no good reason.