Thread: Arkansas Stones - Oil or water?

The nice thing about Smith's is that you can vary its viscosity by adding less or more water to it right on the hone.

wow, 10 bucks an OZ on Amazon! Ill have to stick with Nortons.

$4.99 for 4 oz on the smith website, $6.79 for 4oz on Amazon.

Originally Posted by Jlander

$4.99 for 4 oz on the smith website, $6.79 for 4oz on Amazon.

Sorry, I stand corrected, first one I saw on Amazon was 37.50 or so, didnt dig deeper!
Thanks!

Don't know about master honer, but I do hone all my own razors now for two years. I love the Arkansas True Hard group of stones. I use regular baby oil. All my edges are great and shaves beautimus. The oil cleans up easily with Dawn dish washing soap.

BTW, baby oil: $0.99 for 32 oz at Walmart. I exaggerate, but baby oil is cheap, and works well.

Originally Posted by Longhaultanker

Don't know about master honer, but I do hone all my own razors now for two years. I love the Arkansas True Hard group of stones. I use regular baby oil. All my edges are great and shaves beautimus. The oil cleans up easily with Dawn dish washing soap.

BTW, baby oil: $0.99 for 32 oz at Walmart. I exaggerate, but baby oil is cheap, and works well.

Give you that BBS smell too! sorry couldnt resist!
Ive been using Norton honing oil which is basically clear mineral oil for awhile, bought a quart some time back, guess I'll stick with that until it runs out!
Thanks all for the input!

Originally Posted by Utopian

The nice thing about Smith's is that you can vary its viscosity by adding less or more water to it right on the hone.

Yup. Exactly the same thing with Ballistol oil too. The thing I like about ballistol over Smiths is that I can buy it locally and I can get a 16oz bottle for much cheaper than Smiths and then use it all around the house. Wood knifehandles, leather, etc.

If you don't hone much on oil stones than it's not that big of a deal but I hone darn near daily on Washitas and Arkenstones and believe me the best water soluble cost effective solution is Ballistol oil.

All the other liquids work too just not for me.

Originally Posted by Steel

Yup. Exactly the same thing with Ballistol oil too. The thing I like about ballistol over Smiths is that I can buy it locally and I can get a 16oz bottle for much cheaper than Smiths and then use it all around the house. Wood knifehandles, leather, etc.

If you don't hone much on oil stones than it's not that big of a deal but I hone darn near daily on Washitas and Arkenstones and believe me the best water soluble cost effective solution is Ballistol oil.

All the other liquids work too just not for me.

Thats a new one on me,(Ballistol) Ill have to give it a try, looks like a good all around lube!

Originally Posted by CamMorris

Thats a new one on me,(Ballistol) Ill have to give it a try, looks like a good all around lube!

Yes and being one of the few water soluble oils it is very versatile in honing also.

Having tried a number of Arkansas honing solutions, I feel like I get the best edges and smoothest strokes with WD-40 on my surgical black and translucent.