Distinguishing a waterstone from an oilstone?

I won it on ebay for $25. I am sure I won it because itwas so covered in black grode that it was unidentifiable in pictures. It's still unidentifiable, with nothing to suggest anything about it except the wooden box. The box is of the classic kind: wood, hinged, worm eaten, with every corner and edge chipped and rounded. Interestingly, the 'grode' does not have the very distinctive stank that virtually every old-and-grody oil stone has. Also, water just pools on the surface. It acts like some exposure to oil has been part of its environment, but water doesn't "stand up" or bead like it does on an oil stone. It isn't soaking in, either. The stone was sold as a 'razor hone', but I doubt that as it's a full 8x1x3".

Normally, if ebay has told me it's an oil stone, I will toss it in the dishwasher. But with this, I'm concerned that if its a water stone, I'll break it into flake that way. What's the right way to clean 'old and left in the garage' off a water stone?

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Originally Posted by jgjgjg

I won it on ebay for $25. I am sure I won it because itwas so covered in black grode that it was unidentifiable in pictures. It's still unidentifiable, with nothing to suggest anything about it except the wooden box. The box is of the classic kind: wood, hinged, worm eaten, with every corner and edge chipped and rounded. Interestingly, the 'grode' does not have the very distinctive stank that virtually every old-and-grody oil stone has. Also, water just pools on the surface. It acts like some exposure to oil has been part of its environment, but water doesn't "stand up" or bead like it does on an oil stone. It isn't soaking in, either. The stone was sold as a 'razor hone', but I doubt that as it's a full 8x1x3".

Normally, if ebay has told me it's an oil stone, I will toss it in the dishwasher. But with this, I'm concerned that if its a water stone, I'll break it into flake that way. What's the right way to clean 'old and left in the garage' off a water stone?

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Dirty stones are usually oilstones. If water can't stay on its surface, it's an oilstone.
First of all, get a few sheets of sandpaper ~80 grit, place one on a flat surface and start lapping the stone. It will start to look like a stone. When you get it flat, or if it's already flat and you have somewhat cleaned the surface (best to do on all sides), you can add water and some dishwasher in a bottle or bucket and place the stone inside for a day or more. Then you wash it, let it dry, and chose if you want to use it with water (if possible) or oil. Pictures of the stone, or the cleaned stone would help for its identification. The size is somewhat rare for oilstones.

Photos would help to advise you.

Typically I use dollar store, Oven Cleaner to remove most of the gunk, it will not harm the stone, if you don’t leave it on too long, then soak in Simple Green & water.

A natural stone can be used with water or oil and if cleaned properly can be use with either or both, they are just rocks. Only modern synthetic water stones are actually, water stones.

Generally, I have found that if someone made a box, it is probably a good stone. If it is usable for razors, only trying it will tell.

A natural stone can be soaked in brake cleaner, I wouldn't try it on a synthetic as it might breakdown the binder. If found very misused Eschers covered in oil in toolboxes before. Pictures would be helpful

Oven cleaner. Genius!

I will post picture once I return from Norway.

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Originally Posted by jgjgjg

Oven cleaner. Genius!

I will post picture once I return from Norway.

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Dude! Yer killing me! Prolly a Norton India! Come over and use my hones! :D

Yes, pictures please as soon as you get home! We are all curious now...

Well gentlemen...sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you. The so called "natural razor hone" after some aggressive carb-cleanering, turns out to be an excellent condition two sides carborundum. In an old box.

Not all is lost, however. An employee who accompanied me on my last trip complained that he was tired of mailing out his expensive kitchen knives to a sharpening service that it is high time he learns to do it himself. He's a very, very good hand doing a great job in a tough situation. Because of the 'tough situation', he ain't getting a raise or progression any time soon. So what he will be getting is a carborundum stone and a 5k Shapton gratis.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jgjgjg

Well gentlemen...sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you. The so called "natural razor hone" after some aggressive carb-cleanering, turns out to be an excellent condition two sides carborundum. In an old box.

Not all is lost, however. An employee who accompanied me on my last trip complained that he was tired of mailing out his expensive kitchen knives to a sharpening service that it is high time he learns to do it himself. He's a very, very good hand doing a great job in a tough situation. Because of the 'tough situation', he ain't getting a raise or progression any time soon. So what he will be getting is a carborundum stone and a 5k Shapton gratis.

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Now I'm truly disgusted. I set this on the shelf so I wouldn't forget to take it to work for the guy. I reached for my wallet, clumsily, and knocked it off the shelf. It fell down and shattered on the floor!