Thread: Do you need to "load up" a brand new oil stone?

Yes you should soak a new stone in oil at least over night, then leave it on some newspaper to let the excess oil drain off, then you can make a box for it, the amount of oil that drains off won't damage the timber it is part of the process that the box over time will become quite soaked on the inside with oil have a look at any oilstone and box that has been in use for years and you will see exactly that. After each use wipe the excess oil from you stone with clean (" cleanish" ) rag

Oh for sure.
Although I mainly use a diamond sharpener nowadays, when I did use an oil stone, I put the new stone in a tub of oil (at the time I only had unused engine oil) overnight while I made a hardwood case for it. I figured the oil wouldn't ruin the timber case so that became the home for it.

The case was made in 2 halves, mortised both pieces then joined with a piano hinges and brass clasp. When I opened it the stone could be used either way.
Depending on when I used the stone, I added more oil or sharpened as it was.
I guess too much oil or not enough oil wasn't good for the stone or the tool being sharpened.

For oil stones, I have two, no-name, double-grit stones from the local hardware store. I still don't know how much oil they can absorb! Have a squeeze bottle of nice 5W40 engine oil. I use them only when a carving gouge is so badly damaged that I have to square off the end, just beyond the damage, and reform the entire bevel.

At the very least, I could have tried to answer the question = 0/10 marks.
The oil is the vehicle to suspend and carry away the swarf. If it soaks into the stone, fine swarf stone and metal particles go with it. So, as mucky as it may be, the above pre-soaking suggestions are good ones. It's the open abrasive surface which is meant to do the job.

When I'm done, I add lots of fresh oil, bit of a scrub with a metal bristle brush and lots of paper towel to lift the rubbish.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Looks like I will have a use for that 30cm off cut from my ironbark structural feature beam we put up last year. I've been wondering what to do with it!

Cheers
Nick