Refurbishing old whetstones

[OkKeith]

I picked up a few old (old as in condition, not antiquity) whetstones at a garage sale for a few bucks. I don't think they are great quality. One looks like a Smith's, one a cedarwood mounted Arkansas stone and a two sided "garden stone". I can't tell if they have been used with oil or water, but they are all pretty gunked up. Would a good spray with carburetor cleaner de-gunk them?

I have read the posts about glass sheets and sandpaper to resurface. I was planning to use my tablesaw top instead of glass. What progression of grit would I need to use?

What is the collective wisdom on oil versus water on a stone? I have no idea what has been used on these. I have read always oil, I have read always water. I have also read that once you go oil you can't go back to water.

Thanks for the advice in advance.

OkKeith

[Holm-Made]

Try WD -40

[M60gunner]

I use 220 grit wet/dry then 320, then 400. If it’s real fine Stone I go to 600 grit. I use water on my Japanese wet stones.
 Don’t discard the sandpaper when done, clean it off and use it to put a “scary” sharp edge on your tools. The table saw is a good idea for a flat surface. Better than regular glass. The glass I have came from a old copy machine. It was made to be dead on flat and uniform as not to distort the images.

[OkKeith]

Thanks Chad... that should work as well. How does it work for using the stones? My Grandpa used machine oil that he had in the workshop for lubricating cutting machines and lathes, Dad always uses 3-in-1 oil.

Thomas... I don't think any of these (or any of my other stones) are Japanese style stones. Do you get the plastic-backed wet/dry sandpaper? I imagine it would last longer.

Thanks for the help Guys!

OkKeith

[Possum Head]

As Chad suggested I use to stand my stone on end and start at the top working side to side with WD. It notably cleared the build up. And yes it works great as a sharpening lube as well. Carb spray is powerful stuff and as mentioned should do nicely.

[Michael Pfander]

My go to has always been windex or something similar.  Lubes and cleans at the same time.
MAP

[ron w]

When I was a toolmaker I always kept my stones in a container of kerosene.........I would use them wet from the container and put them back in. Never had to clean them. Once you get them cleaned this may help to keep them in good shape. Just keep the container full and refresh now and then.

[M60gunner]

I would imagine the plastic backed is better life. I am heavily vested in the regular papers. I bought packs of 50 of each grit from 220-600. I even have 1000-1500-2000 as well.

[RJonesRCRV]

Wd-40 works to clean.  I use only water, as its cleaner and works just fine, and wash all stones with clean water when done.  It seems like using oil and not cleaning the stone leads to the gummed up surface.

I can see leaving stones in oil or kerosene if its part of your profession.

Spit actually works well, its kinda between oil and water; doesnt stain like oil but it floats the particles the way oil does.

Oh, and for a strop... Gimme a good piece of corrugated cardboard and Im good to go.

[last arrow]

If you don't mind, I would like to add a question.  How do you tell a Hard from a soft stone, is there an easy test?

[Doc Nock]

Wow...never knew it was so involved...we were told to boil in hot soapy water to clean them out and then scrub under running water to "float" the metal out of the pores.

I'm not a big fan of the smell of kerosene (we called it "coal oil" where I grew up) but Ron's idea sure makes sense...

[OkKeith]

Blaine-

I think 'Hard Stones" are fine stones. As far as I understand it's a matter of coarse vs fine. "Hard Arkansas Stones" are generally finer than a garden stone or something like that.

I do have a couple of very good bench stones from Dan's Whetstones in Pearcy, AR. I have had them for ten years or so. One is a Hard Arkansas and is considered fine and the other is a Translucent that is extra fine. They are both 4X2. They came in a thin cedar box. I have the boxes bottom to bottom and rubber banded together. They pretty much stay in my hunting bag ready to go. He sells an oil he recommends for his stones and I use that when I can but have been known to use 3-in-1 oil as well.

Not sure I answered your question.. soft stones are coarse and take off material fast, hard stones are finer and remove material gradually and polish.

Hope that helps.

OkKeith

[Keefer]

Just curious if the blue dawn dish soap and using hot water or boiling as Doc Nock mentioned would pull the old grime out and make them clean once again?
  Heck you see them cleaning oil off ducks during a tanker spill in the ocean so I would think it will remove that build up off a wet stone as well!
  Anyone ever tried that?

[Keefer]

Originally posted by last arrow:
If you don't mind, I would like to add a question.  How do you tell a Hard from a soft stone, is there an easy test?

Just make a rude comment to a women sharpening her knife and see which one hurts the worse            Sorry just had to share that one for a laugh!


  OkKeith pretty much explained it in his last post!

[Charlie Lamb]

I've used Dawn and scrub with a Scotchbrite pad. Then rinsed with very hot water. Works very well.

[Bigjackfish]

WD -40 is kerosene based it will work well to clean the stone.Keeping the stone oiled during use helps keep the pores of the stone from getting clogged.If you can keep your stone in kerosene like Ron W that would be even better.

[OkKeith]

Kerosene... my Granpa used that for EVERYTHING! Including cuts and scrapes. I suppose if you survived the burning sensation you would survive the injury. I think kerosene is the main ingredient to Cut'N Heal which was his other go to medical treatment.

I'm not sure where the heck to get real kerosene anymore. They used to sell it at the COOP from a big tank next to the diesel. We bought it to fill a rolling 200 gallon tank.

What about White Gas (Coleman Fuel)?

I have a gallon can of WD-40, if I dropped them in a tall Tupperware with a good lid do ya think that would work? It wouldn't evaporate or smell as bad. I kinda like the smell of WD-40... its one of those kid memory-smells that I associate with hunting/fishing gear and my Dad.

OkKeith

[ksbowman]

The white gas might be a fire waiting to happen.

[OkKeith]

Ben, I'm thinking the kerosene and the WD-40 may be as well. Life was easier when I didn't live in town and had a barn to keep stuff like that in.

I think I may combine everyone's advice. Boil them in dishwashing soap and then hose 'em with WD-40. Might be able to let them soak in a light mineral oil sealed up in a Tupperware. Seems like that may be kinda messy whenever I need to use them. We'll see...

Thanks again for ALL the advice!

OKkeit

[not on the rug]

I use water only on my Japanese Stones and use a diamond plate to flatten them. I can't imagine using oil or kerosine or anything like that on a stone

IF you're going to use sandpaper, make sure to lay it flat on a countertop, and then rub the stone over it, not the other way around.

You can use a pencil or sharpie marker to make lines all across the stone and then check periodically on the lines to make sure you're removing even amounts of stone while your'e leveling it.  if the marks still remain, you need to take more off of that part of the stone, obviously