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I've read in several places that oil should not be used on Japanese waterstones, but none of the sources explain the reasoning behind this. What, if any, damage would using oil cause and would it be reparable?

cyang
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  • Was the raw chicken also covered in a thin layer of oil? I'm not sure where that enters the equation. – logophobe Sep 17 '14 at 13:35
  • A looong (and sometimes interesting) thread about using oil in waterstones http://straightrazorplace.com/hones/85999-using-oil-waterstones-simple-question.html – Dr. belisarius Sep 17 '14 at 13:59
  • @logophobe The chicken had some oil and fat on it. I think the amount was minimal and won't have much effect. I'm more curious about what would happen with a larger amount of oil and why it's claimed that the oil would ruin the stone. – cyang Sep 18 '14 at 02:39
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    @belisarius I skimmed that thread. Seems like someone has the same stone as me and oil caused knives to slip over the stone instead of being sharpened. – cyang Sep 18 '14 at 02:40
  • @cyang Glad you find it. The thread looks interesting , but I had not enough patience to read it all – Dr. belisarius Sep 18 '14 at 03:00
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    Send it through the dish washer. – Optionparty Sep 18 '14 at 15:34
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    dishwasher is a good idea. if that doesn't work, it gets complicated or expensive. 1) chemically clean it (dangerous--boil in NaOH solution in a non-aluminum pot) 2) mechanically remove the layer with the oil or 3) replace the stone with a new one – pleasePassTheCheese Oct 01 '14 at 02:58
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    Oil is viscous, does not evaporate, and can harden into a varnish. From the sound of it, Japanese waterstones, are soft and large-pored; just the sort of thing a metal powder loaded semi-drying oil could soak into, polymerize and ruin. I use Diamond plates myself, they aren't all that expensive anymore. – Wayfaring Stranger Nov 16 '14 at 04:35
  • Honing oil is exactly not supposed to harden into a varnish, because oilstones have the exact problem you describe.. That's why you cannot ever use cooking oil for sharpening. – event_jr Feb 01 '23 at 04:18

1 Answers1

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Japanese style whetstones made of natural material, also known as "waterstones", rely on water to make a paste from the material, and this paste is abrasive and aids in sharpening. Oil is not as effective as water in making this "mud" as the stone material isn't as soluble in oil.

Further, once you have used oil on any type of whetstone, water may no longer be used as a lubricant, as it will be shed by the oil that has soaked into the stone and be ineffective in carrying away the swarf (metal abraded from the blade by sharpening).

Here is a FAQ on natural waterstones from an online retailer.

RI Swamp Yankee
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