Oil stone Vs whetstone

[spoony]

Is one better than the other??
Which do you use and why??
Pros and cons please

 

[andyn]

Without sounding picky...I think that an oilstone and a "whetstone" are pretty much classed as the same thing. In that Whetting is a process rather than the material.

I think your question is therefore....Oilstone or Waterstone. Or at least thats my understanding

I don't know much about oilstones, but I think a lot of people choose japanese waterstones as they have the reputation of sharpening a lot quicker. Something to do with the makeup of the stone and getting fresh sharp particles with each stroke. If I understand correctly this is the main advantage over the oilstone as the particles dont break off giving fresh ones and instead just become polished.


P.S the other advantage is that if you are out in the wild, and happen to be carrying a waterstone and want to sharpen your tools....you dont need to find oil in order to prepare it, although you may become a very rich bushcrafter if you did stike oil

PPS I think the oilstones work out cheaper than waterstones and I think they last longer too...so they do have that advantage

 

[gregorach]

Ooh, there's a can of worms...

All I'll say for now is that I use water for my pocket Arkansas stone because it's more easily available in the field - and if you haven't got any, then you have far more urgent problems to worry about.

As for benchstones... Someone else can comment. I'm undecided.

 

[British Red]

Is neither an acceptable answer here? I have both and rarely use my expensive bench stones now! I use wet and dry paper attached to a board. I can hold this in my hand and sharpen in front of the box - I get as good if not better results than my bench stones!

Have a search for "Hoodoo hone" or look at the £5 sharpening kit thread under edged tools (its sticky so at the top). In the fiels I use a Falkniven DC4 diamond / ceramic pocket sharpener

Red

 

[sxmolloy]

at home i have the japanesse watersones, out and about a Fallkniven DC3 diamond/ceramic which is used dry.

i favoured the japanesse waterstones over the oil stones simply becuase of the water rather than oil fact (and also RM recommended them).

 

[spamel]

I also go with waterstones. I used to use an oil stone, and learnt the basics of sharpening a knife with it. I never got an edge that could split an atom though, but can easily achieve shaving sharp on the waterstones. You work through the grades when sharpening with waterstones to achieve that WOW! edge, and it does take a bit longer then a few passes over an oil stone where you get an OK edge, but I enjoy that time. I can block out the noisy neighbours or the traffic zooming past our flat, plus it keeps my arms silky smooth and free of fluff testing the sharpness!!

Edit: Post number 500, I thank you!

 

[Longstrider]

Having never used a Japanese waterstone I cannot comment on how good/bad I think they are. Like many, I was taught to sharpen plane blades and chisels on an oilstone in the workshop, but rarely, if ever use them these days. I have been converted to the wonders of diamond sharpeners. I use DMT Duo Diafold sharpeners for almost everything I ever need to put an edge on. Having them in all 4 grades (Extra coarse, coarse, fine and extra fine) means that I can work through the grades and finish with a shaving-sharp edge every time. A leather strop loaded with chrome polish will them polish the edge to "scary sharp". If I'm being pedantic about the finished edge, I'll then use a leather strop loaded with jewellers rouge, but most times the chrome polish gives a plenty good enough edge for normal use.
Carrying the Diafolds in the field is no problem as they weigh next to nothing and all they need in the way of wetting is a bit of spit.
The smallest DMT sharpeners (still plenty big enough to use on most knives) are even lighter than the diafolds and can be had for about £8 a piece.

 

[Toots]

Once again waterstones are my favourite, both at home and in the field. 1000/6000 combi stone at home and a smaller 1000 when out and about (rarely used though as never really away from base for to long). Used to us an arkeansas stone, but find waterstone better as no smelly oil to deal with each time. They seem somehow nicer to use too.

 

[bushtuckerman]

the japanese stones are glorious to use, but i don't have one of my own..yet. obviously you can't carry them around easily so they're not perfect. I have an arkansas, it's rubbish without having worked up a paste (ahem..with my diamond dmt..), i don't use oil at all anymore, it's too difficult to go back to water once you've tried it on a stone! the DMT isn't perfect either, mine has lost stone from the edges and is not entirely flat so is almost useless for straight edges, so it's used solely for rounded areas now, or mending edges that have burred, but i can't rely on it, certainly not in the field. I've been meaning to get a DC3 stone too for that reason. I've always found workshop oilstones pretty average too.

 

[BobFromHolland]

Isn't the oil or water used on wet- stones basically there for removal of metal particles you've just cut from the tool you're sharpening??

I have noticed that using a sharpening stone without 'medium' it clogs up quite fast and stops removing more metal when 'full'. In that respect I think people use oil in workshops, because it is less volatile as water and has a lower density (and therefor the disolved metal sinks faster, keeping the oil clean) than water. At home water has more benefits (less smelly, dirty, and readilly available).

I am quite keen on making a set of wet&dry sandpaper sharpeners like British Red has so wonderfully shown in a previous thread in the edged tools forum.

 

[spamel]

Don't use oil on a waterstone!! It'll be permanantly screwed!!

 

[Toddy]

I quite happily used a pocket India stone with oil for years when out and about and a buffing grinder wheel in the workshop.
Then I bought a Falkniven DC4 from Outdoorcode and it's just excellent No need for water or oil....well until I give it a wash at home
I bought HWMBLT a set of diamond hones and have to confess that I find they are excellent too.
Japanese waterstones give an excellent edge; but I want my knife sharp "now" when I'm out, and I just can't be bothered footering about with them.

I think it's each to their own on this one.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[bushtuckerman]

yeah i agree i wouldn't want to be faffing about with any large stone on the field.

 

[falcon]

The old traditional whetsone was something my dad (and grandad) used to hone up a single handed grass"hook" or a sythe when cutting pretty long grass. It was very coarse and put a sharp edge on what was a very thin almost tin blade. The oilstone was what they used to sharpen up chisels and penknives, as did in later years, my craftsman neighbour. In recent years, I discovered the diamond grit stones, which are extremely effective, and the waterstones. It's taken me a while to develop the correct technique but I'm well impressed with waterstones which need patience but are very effective....I wouldn't dream of going back to an oilstone but that may be just me. I find the billhook rresponds well to the diamond stones (Starkie and DC4) and only use the old whetstone on the grasshook......if the strimmer isn't working LOL

Lately when out and about, I've been using a hoodo hone and strop for touching up..but then getting back to the waterstone on the bench.

 

[leon-1]

I am a big fan of waterstones at home, I have used slip stones in the field as well and they are pretty good, but I tend to find that putting the initial edge onto a bladed tool is done with these.

For maintanence I like Red use wet 'n' dry on a piece of board and a strop, in the field I have ceramics which give a far finer edge than a DC4 can and fit in a pocket and I have taken to carrying a piece of very coarse wet 'n' dry for any major work.