Thread: Oil on a Shapton Kuromaku?

Originally Posted by 32t

One of the things I see while reading about these hones. I don't have personal experience with them. Is that one of the main issues with them is the cracking. This seems to be from the wetting and drying of them.

Therefore I am thinking that using oil would prevent this issue.

Any thoughts?

The cracking comes from excessive wetting & /or fast drying as in air-con or placing on a sunny shelf etc.
I had a set from 220 to 12k & only the 12 k crazed slightly due to being left in the sun to dry.

So I am thinking that using petroleum oil would prevent the wetting and drying cycle.

Originally Posted by 32t

So I am thinking that using petroleum oil would prevent the wetting and drying cycle.

I guess so but they are really maintenance free stones if you simply wipe them down & put them away damp.
If you're keen to use oil for other reasons, well then, the maker says it's ok.

Oil or water it makes no difference to me. A hone is just another tool to accomplish a task.

To be economic etc. I could see why oil would be a good option for these.

IF I would ever get one and Unless anyone would tell me a good reason why not to, I think that with these oil would be a good way to go.

with knives you feel the heat with the oil...water no....but knives and razors are two different beasts...you'll never put that amount of pressure with razors so oil should be fine but I would use water...no mess and its made for it! a hard natural and oil is ok but synthetics...try not to complicate things sometimes we get carried away...and that's ok too!!