Thread: Removing Oil from a Hone

I just picked up a mystery "slate" hone that I hope is a thuringian (I am so jazzed). The thing is, it smells of oil and I am concerned about the oil contaminating my brand new DMT Duosharp xtra coarse 220/coarse 320 if I lap it as is. The DMT will be used primarily for my Naniwas. Is there a way to remove some of the oil on the hone with a solvent prior to lapping it? Or should I not worry about this?

got an old pan and some oxy clean put a old rag at the bottom of the pan fill with water turn the heat on (low fire)put the oxy clean in and wait for the water to start to boil it should be around 180 degrees do it twice and the oil problem should be gone

Not to dissuade, but water boils at 212° F. Try boiling in detergent, or I have heard oven cleaner work, but it is caustic.

Howard posted that Easy Off with the blue label IIRC has little or no odor and will do the trick. I haven't tried it. I have used White Lightning Clean Streak degreaser with success. It is marketed for cleaning disc rotors on bicycles.

As another option, I've run several stones through a dishwasher cycle with no ill effects. They come out super clean and oil-free.

i think there is a lot options available. you can choose any of them.
My easy way is to cover on salt for a weak.
then pick it up you hone ready.

I don't think I would be boiling any natural stone. If there are internal cracks it could cause them to grow and result in a cracked stone.

Aerosol brake cleaner should work.

The first thing is that Oxy-clean doesn't dissolve oil or grease,and used to say so on the label,second try some Dawn dishwashing detergent which dissolves oil,put both in a pot with some cold water and bring to a slow boil,then let it cool SLOWLY,I did this with one of my fathers stones,really old and not a BBW,but an old oil/water-stone and it worked fine. I would just let it heat up and cool down slowly.
Hope this helps
Griz

The most intriguing solution for me is to soak the rock in a bucket of water with a tablespoon of Red Devil lye. In theory, the oil should sapponify (turn to soap) and then wash right off. A week in the bucket should do it. But that's only a theory; I've never tried it. But you'd be a personal hero and become an SRP legend if you did it.