Thread: Thuri with oil

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I use oil or a progression of oil thinned with WD-40 on my Arks but nothing else. Even then I religiously wash the Arks thoroughly with Dawn dish soap or simple green (depending on if it is a hard or soft) and dry them after each use.
Although to be fair, more and more I'm using water on my arks instead, especially on the hard ones. Oil is just so messy and such a pain in the backside.

I tried using my arks with water long ago and just couldn't stand the feeling while honing, I know a lot of people hone this way, especially on the harder arks and get good results and results are all that matter in the end. I've use neatsfoot oil but it does get a bit too viscous when cold so I've been looking into getting something like a clock pivot oil which is designed to stay a consistent viscosity over a long time. I don't know about compared to water on arks but having both traditional oilstones and a set of synthetic waterstones, the oilstones imo are much cleaner to use. I just don't like having water around carbon steel, I always get a bit of whatever honing fluid I'm using on my hands from time to time and especially on a razor where your hands are around the pivot area while honing I really hate the idea of getting water in there. Same reason I never run my razor under the tap and just wipe the blade on a dry flannel to remove lather as I shave.

I'll use baby oil ( mineral oil ) on my Arks, but only for knives. Water only for my razors

I own two Thuris that were previously used with oil, they both got a soak in simple green. They are oil free now with no harm done to them that I can detect.
Maybe if I come across another oil soaked one it will melt away in the simple green I don't know, but if the price is right I won't hesitate to try it again.
YMMV.