Honing oil is used in the process of sharpening kitchen, hunting, pocket knives, and other cutting objects on abrasive stones. It plays the role of a cooling liquid and allows you to restore the sharpness of the blade without damaging the metal and the sharpening bar, extend the service life of tools, and avoid overheating.
The masters choose different coolants for their work depending on the type of stone and the type of work ahead. Below we will describe the most popular options in more detail.
The oil-based coolant can be used when you are sharpening a knife on a sharpening stone made of natural or artificial abrasive materials. It assists in the formation of a slurry on the stone surface, protects the material from clogging with metal residue, and removes debris.
Apart from that, the oil is used in production processes when honing various tools and parts. In this application, the coolant maintains temperature control and avoids overheating when the tool is operated at high speeds.
The use of oil protects the abrasive from clogging with metal and facilitates easier movement of the blade over the surface. But when sharpening, you need to follow several important rules:
Remember that each type of bar has its own suitable honing oil type. It cannot be replaced with conventional lubricants or self-prepared coolants. This will affect both the quality of sharpening and the durability of the tool.
Coolants for honing knives and metal parts are divided into several groups depending on their composition:
When choosing a stone for sharpening a blade, keep in mind that all abrasive bars are divided into three types:
The coolant must always be selected for the specific stone, taking into account the type of abrasive and its bonding agent.
Here are the main types of oils that sharpeners choose for processing knife blades with manual hand sharpening on stones or with special devices.
This option is not suitable for oil stones and is used only for water based ones. Before starting work, you need to soak such an abrasive in water until air bubbles stop coming out of it. The surface should also be constantly wetted so that the liquid removes metal particles and protects against wear.
Usually, water is used without additional components. Some sharpeners add soap to the solution which makes it easier and quicker to get rid of sludge.
A base lubricant without additives, that is sometimes used for finishing blades. It is appreciated for its high viscosity. But you can spoil expensive oil stones if you use them with such a coolant.
It consists of oleic acid mixed with substances of organic origin and unsaponifiable components. It is suitable for processing stainless steel parts. It forms flakes when cooled to a low temperature.
A versatile material for sharpening knives and protecting wooden handles from damage due to getting wet. Some specialized honing oils contain this substance in their composition. It is safe for human health and can be used for impregnation of handles and hydrophobic protection of cutting boards.
To process the stone, you need a dropper or sprayer to evenly distribute the composition over the surface.
Lubricating fluids for hunting and sporting weapons are of synthetic origin and are partially suitable as a honing oil. They protect the metal well from corrosion, which is important for knives with a blade made of low-quality steel.
Only certain vegetable oils are suitable as sharpening coolants. Olive oil is suitable, but only organic, which has not undergone the refining process. It is not recommended to use such substances because of the high risk of counterfeiting. You can ruin the stone easily.
A universal remedy "for all occasions", which appeared on the market in the middle of the 20th century and has been popular in various fields since then. This composition is more suitable as a means of corrosion protection or for hydrophobic treatment. It cannot be used as a lubricant when working with an oil stone.
The best choice for sharpening and straightening the blade cutting edge will be special liquids designed for use with abrasive bars. This oil type does not burn, significantly increases the service life of sharpening tools, improves the quality and purity of processing. Although it is more expensive than other options, economical consumption allows you to avoid large expenses for the purchase of supplies.
This is the optimal solution, especially for expensive Arkansas stones or other premium products.
Now let us figure out which type of coolant is suitable for a bar, depending on its type and origin:
Only people with the necessary experience and skills can perform a high quality knife sharpening with an oil stone. Lack of knowledge leads to damage to the knife or stone, changes in the sharpening angle of the blade and other frustrations.
We recommend using precision guided fixed angle knife sharpening systems from TSPROF for both professionals and beginners. These devices allow you to firmly fix the knife and sharpen it while maintaining the desired angle without much effort. The need to use honing oil in this case depends on the selected bars, but the standard diamond coated stones that come with the sharpening kit do not require the use of a cooling liquid.
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