So I'm getting ready to put the final touches on my Woodsmens, and I go to use my honing oil only to find out the ol' gal used the last of it on some squeeky hinges.    :mad:        :mad:     To save our marriage, she agreed to buy me a new can. Skinflint that I am, and as long as she's spending HER money, I figger I'll get the best money can buy.

 She works while I hunt, so she's purty near perfect and tradin' er in ain't an option. What kind of honing oil do you folks recommend?

Working with Sharpster over the last year, the "best" honing oil isn't honing oil, its products like "screw loose".

I use "Gunk" in the aerosol.  The pressure of the spray also cleans the stones (slightly - you still need to clean them occasionally)

QuoteOriginally posted by BobW:
Working with Sharpster over the last year, the "best" honing oil isn't honing oil, its products like "screw loose".

I use "Gunk" in the aerosol.  The pressure of the spray also cleans the stones (slightly - you still need to clean them occasionally)

Thanks Bob. Looks like she's gonna get off cheap.  

Soapy water works well also...let her off realy cheap!!

Kerosene works the best I've tried.

What a lot people don't realize is that honing oil in not a lubricant for the steel or the stone. It's purpose is to keep the pores of the stone clear by floating the metal filings off the surface.

I've stopped using stones.  A diamond hone means never looking for the honing oil again...

I've found WD-40 to work very well, but kinda like Jeff I use mostly diamonds now.  Not very traditional, tho.

My vote is for a diamond stone, comes in course and fine. I prefer the fine, followed by a Ceramic stone. Produces a sharp head in minutes. There are many types, but one made by Smith has both in on unit. But if you use oil,jewelers rouge rubbed into a leather strap will work nice after you use your oil and will make a blade shaving sharp...

Lots of good info here. Thank you all very much.  

no, no , no on the WD-40.  Has varnish in it that will lock up the pores of the stone.  Its BAAAAAD stuff!

BobW

Most "traditional" honing oils are a mixture of kerosine and mineral oil.  Since my stones are used for kitchen knives too, I use a food-safe honing oil from Norton.

The diamond stones are great.  They work even better with a little bit of water on them.  The extremely fine grits aren't readily available though (and the green very fine stone ain't so fine) so anything I really want to get sharp goes on up the grits to a black arkansas stone.

On my diamond stone I use windex. Mostly because its convienient.

I also have a dual water stone. One side is 1000 grit and the other 6000 grit. That is my last step before leather stropping with autobody buffing glaze.