Thread: Can Arkansas stones be waterstones?

I have a set of 3 stones, 1- coarse, 1- medium and 1- Wa****a. No idea of grits on any of them. I had used them years ago for knife sharpening and used oil on them.
Question: If I wash them real well with soap and water, can they then be used as waterstones? I am not looking at using them for razors but for another sharpening project.
Thanks,
Bill W

you can use it but their effectiveness will go down. Arkansas mean to be used with oil for the best result.
GL

Some knife sharpeners use them with oil, some with water, and some use them dry. I use mine with water just because oil is too messy.

I believe they can be used any way, but according to some experience I had with a black arkansas I got a finer edge using oil and the contrary using other water stones. So I would say go with the oil for fine and use water for more abrasive power.

Same here. It works quite well with water and a little detergent in it to keep it from pearling off.
If Sham says they work better with oil I'm going to give that a try, though.

I believe the hone I have that I call my "Butterscotch" hone is a translucent Arkansas. It came from a barber's estate and there was no smell that suggested any prior use with oil. I figured if the barber that had it originally used it with water, I should too.

used that way, it is a slow cutter suitable only for polishing an edge that is already pretty good. Usually after one of my other finishing hones.

Sham - What oils are you recommend using? Petroleum based, or mineral oils? Does it make a difference? Obviously not to mix and match waterstones and oil stones, but just thinking about hygiene.

+1 with Shams advice. I use mineral/baby oil on mine...it washes off readily, if ya so choose. However, you can get away with water use, with the surgical black and translucent, but not the soft or hard arkansas...too porous, imo.

Thanks,

Mac

Originally Posted by jendeindustries

Sham - What oils are you recommend using? Petroleum based, or mineral oils? Does it make a difference? Obviously not to mix and match waterstones and oil stones, but just thinking about hygiene.

i always use norton oil for sharpening stones. I am not sure about rest oil 's never used mineral oil for sharpening purposes. it may work very well.
i know example charnley forest stone will make a lot differences with oil or just water. edge comes out from oil a lot smoother and sharper.

With an Arkansas stone I always use a light machine oil, like Sewing machine oil, or gun oil.