gunked up oil stone in the dishwasher???

It works a treat.
http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/?q=content/cleaning-old-oil-stone

There may be a minor domestic problem, with the concept but our dishwasher survived a similar experiment. I had tried surgical spirit which was fairly successful u heat is the key to dissolving grease.

Oh, how about a biological clothes detergent, and leaving it in a warm place like the airing cupboard for a couple of days ?
 
sarabande said:
It works a treat.
http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/?q=content/cleaning-old-oil-stone

There may be a minor domestic problem, with the concept but our dishwasher survived a similar experiment. I had tried surgical spirit which was fairly successful u heat is the key to dissolving grease.

Oh, how about a biological clothes detergent, and leaving it in a warm place like the airing cupboard for a couple of days ?
Click to expand...

That should work. I tried leaving one in a stainless steel pan filled with a soap powder solution then slowly heated it to a boil. Now, i just mix a slurry of builder's sand and scour it on a smooth paving slab.
 
I used methalated spirit and sharpened a plane iron on a dirty oil stone, cleaned up well. Later, watching Tips From A Ship Wright on YouTube, he commentated on using rubbing alcohol on his stones as it gave a better cut. He then proceeded to demonstrate it. Then again, sticking it the dishwasher may be the easiest method.
 
Oilstones get gunked up with a mix of oil, stone and metal particles, the metal particles turn to rust.
Quite likely to make a mess of the dishwasher or its other contents?
Why not just heat in a stainless pan with some detergent?
ISTR someone suggesting refacing a stone on a piece of plate glass with some coarse w&D paper.
Buy a wet bench grinder.
 
My grandfather was a cabinet maker in H&W when they were building that ship. My father who only did woodworking as a hobby allowed me to use his tools when I was a teenager, I promptly destroyed most of them, the only survivors are some spokeshaves, 2 chisels, a blunt and bent jig saw, a wooden box plane and and his oilstone in its fancy hardwood case. The stone is a much smoother texture than you see now but has been in constant use for around 130 years without any obvious need for cleaning.
 
it worked -----cleaned up really well----over the years i have used a variety of oils----in the last few years mainly cooking or olive oil---have a feeling these might have helped gunk up the stone----originally always used 3 in 1 but since the popularity of double d 40 haven t had any in the house for years---------ps as a bonus wife didn t notice me hiding it in the machine
 
Quandary said:
...The stone is a much smoother texture than you see now but has been in constant use for around 130 years without any obvious need for cleaning.
Click to expand...
I have my Great Grandfather's oil stone. He was a wheelwright in Anglesey apparently.
It produces a fine edge but I'm afraid I'm not that patient. People had more time in those days!
Those diamond slips are great.
 
My grandfather who was a master carpenter told me that the best thing to come out for use on sharpening stones was Johnson's Baby Oil. I'm still not sure the girl in the chemist believed me though when I told her what it was for!!! :o
 
lenten said:
it worked -----cleaned up really well----over the years i have used a variety of oils----in the last few years mainly cooking or olive oil---have a feeling these might have helped gunk up the stone----originally always used 3 in 1 but since the popularity of double d 40 haven t had any in the house for years---------ps as a bonus wife didn t notice me hiding it in the machine
Click to expand...

Further to my post, below is the youtube link where the shipwright explains why he used denatured alcohol - it keeps the metal filings mobile.
From 3.40 minutes onwards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp-BqugfN8U&list=PLzlN3A2DLgNzJPV_GRDDie_XaVEgGhxQk&index=10
 
lenten said:
it worked -----cleaned up really well----over the years i have used a variety of oils----in the last few years mainly cooking or olive oil---have a feeling these might have helped gunk up the stone----originally always used 3 in 1 but since the popularity of double d 40 haven t had any in the house for years---------ps as a bonus wife didn t notice me hiding it in the machine
Click to expand...

Veg oils often congeal.
Mixing veg oil with other oil also makes a mess.

Can you seriously live without a tin of 3in1 or similar in your shed?
I guess now you've cleaned your stone, it will absorb about half a tin of 3in1 first time you use it.
 
Never. Used em but understood that veg oils clog India type stones. I've done a good soak in paraffin to declog them
 
I have a few oil stones from my late Father in law, in turn coming from his father and may be earlier, fitted in wooden stands. All of them, due to long time wear, are more or less hollow in the central area. This is very annoying as it does not allow exact shaping of the tool under sharpening (angles etc.). I am always traying and using the flat areas in the outer zone but theese are usually too small.

Is there a method for grinding or honing the stones flat again?

Any suggestion?
Many thanks

Sandro

P.S. I’ll try alcohol. – on stones I mean.
 
Sandro said:
I have a few oil stones from my late Father in law, in turn coming from his father and may be earlier, fitted in wooden stands. All of them, due to long time wear, are more or less hollow in the central area. This is very annoying as it does not allow exact shaping of the tool under sharpening (angles etc.). I am always traying and using the flat areas in the outer zone but theese are usually too small.

Is there a method for grinding or honing the stones flat again?

Any suggestion?
Many thanks

Sandro

P.S. I’ll try alcohol. – on stones I mean.
Click to expand...

The traditional way to flatten them is to rub them on a concrete paving slab, with water. It's going to make a mess.
I think the stones I inherited are probably beyond redemption.
I find a wet bench grinder much easier to get a half decent edge with. I then finish off with a bit of W&D paper.
 
I find a bench grinder far too harsh so do it the other way. Firstly starting with oil stones the whetstones down to 4000 grit which gives an edge sharp enough to shave the back of my arm with. Then if I’m inclined, I’ll use a polishing mop fitted to the bench grinder to buff the knives to a smooth finish. It doesn’t add anything to the sharpness but looks nice.

Like the OP I tried veg oil on sharpening stones, thinking it would be good for kitchen knives as it’s edible, the gummed up result was the same and it took repeat cleaning to finally rid the stones of gum; the stuff kept coming back.
 
I have a variety of stones, some very old oilstones that were my grandfathers that rarely get used, water stones that I use and 3 grades of W&D on a piece of plate glass which is as good as anything and cheaper than everything. I keep thinking about diamond stones, I have a little diamond hand lap that must be over 100 years old that I use now to touch up old carbide router bits, but the cost of good ones is exorbitant and cheap ones apparently are just that cheap and nasty.
 
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