Thread: Alternatives to oil for honing on Arkansas stones?

Many of those who hone with Arkansas stones use oil, which is generally the recommended medium so as to float off the swarf and prevent it from clogging the stone's surface pores.

However there are those who prefer water, and generally along with a few drops of liquid detergent (such as Dawn, etc.) and/or glycerine.

I'd love to get some responses from those of you seasoned honemeisters who frequently use Arks, especially as their finishing stones, with regard to your experience.

Thanks in advance!

As a side note - I used my DMT lapping plate to chamfer the edges on my surgical black Ark. Came out nicely, but I think I need a new lapping plate now. Them stones are h-a-r-d!!!

Not an Ark guy, but Smith's honing solution is nice. Less messy and works better, IMO

The only two I have used are glycerine and Smith's. Either can be diluted with water to reduce viscosity.

I have tried just about every medium out there and once I tried ballistol oil I have never looked back. It is water soluble and very inexpensive compared to smiths and really keeps the particles out of the stone. My stones look brand new after hundreds of razors. I buy the cans (not spray) and dilute it 50/50 with water. It has also produced my best edges by far. A bonus is I use it all around the house from conditioning our leather furniture, to using on leather shoes, lubing my guns, to conditioning wood knife handles. It is great stuff IMO. YMMV :-)

Yep ,Ballistol. Tc

Ballistol is ok, you can also ask cooling liquid for milling machine at a workshop near you.